Circulating tumour cells in lung cancer

Circulating tumour cells are being extensively investigated in the network as a potential route to monitor response to treatment and the development of resistance. 

Scientists at the Manchester ECMC published a seminal paper in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2012 on the pronostic significance of CTCs in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and have set up CTC analysis in five SCLC trials.

Recently published in Nature Medicine, Manchester ECMC has also developed a unique approach to study small cell lung cancer. Circulating tumour cell samples taken at patient presententation and again at relapse will shed light on the mechanisms of drug resistance, facilitate novel drug target identification and be used to test novel agents.