Saliva & Liquid Biopsy Translational Laboratory, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, 46, Don Young Rd, Queensland, QLD, 4111, Australia.
Menzies Health Institute Queensland, School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Gold coast, QLD, Australia.
Cell Mol Life Sci. 2024 May 23;81(1):233. doi: 10.1007/s00018-024-05269-1.
Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are at a high risk of developing recurrence and secondary cancers. This study evaluates the prognostic and surveillance utilities of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in HNSCC. A total of 154 HNSCC patients were recruited and followed up for 4.5 years. Blood samples were collected at baseline and follow-up. CTCs were isolated using a spiral microfluid device. Recurrence and death due to cancer were assessed during the follow-up period. In patients with HNSCC, the presence of CTCs at baseline was a predictor of recurrence (OR = 8.40, p < 0.0001) and death (OR= ∞, p < 0.0001). Patients with CTCs at baseline had poor survival outcomes (p < 0.0001). Additionally, our study found that patients with CTCs in a follow-up appointment were 2.5 times more likely to experience recurrence or death from HNSCC (p < 0.05) prior to their next clinical visit. Our study highlights the prognostic and monitoring utilities of CTCs' in HNSCC patients. Early identification of CTCs facilitates precise risk assessment, guiding treatment choices and ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.
头颈部鳞状细胞癌（HNSCC）患者复发和二次癌症的风险较高。本研究评估了循环肿瘤细胞（CTC）在 HNSCC 中的预后和监测效用。共招募了 154 名 HNSCC 患者，并进行了 4.5 年的随访。在基线和随访时采集血样。使用螺旋微流设备分离 CTCs。在随访期间评估复发和癌症死亡情况。在 HNSCC 患者中，基线时存在 CTCs 是复发（OR=8.40，p<0.0001）和死亡（OR= ∞，p<0.0001）的预测因素。基线时存在 CTCs 的患者生存结局较差（p<0.0001）。此外，我们的研究发现，在下次临床就诊前，随访时出现 CTCs 的患者复发或因 HNSCC 死亡的风险增加了 2.5 倍（p<0.05）。本研究强调了 CTCs 在 HNSCC 患者中的预后和监测效用。早期识别 CTCs 有助于进行精确的风险评估，指导治疗选择，最终改善患者的预后。
