ArticleOncoTargets and therapy2021
Assessment of the Circulating Tumor Cells and Microsatellite Instability in Colorectal Cancer Patients: Prognostic and Diagnostic Value.
Article in OncoTargets and therapy, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.
- Liquid biopsy of circulating tumor cells: From isolation, enrichment, and genome sequencing to clinical applications.Histology and histopathology · 2025Review
- Redefining cancer care: harnessing circulating tumor cells' potential for improved diagnosis and prognosis.Cancer cell international · 2025Review
- Unveiling the dual role of circulating tumor cells in colorectal cancer immunotherapy: a comprehensive review of biomarker utility and immune microenvironment crosstalk.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMicrosatellite instability (MSI) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play important roles in the diagnosis, prognosis and management of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.
methodsCTCs and MSI were assessed in the blood and representative tumor tissues of 100 CRC patients by flow cytometry (FCM) and PCR amplification. The data were correlated to relevant clinicopathological features of the patients, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates.
resultsMSI-high was detected in 44 (44.0%) patients, MSI-low in 37 (37%), and microsatellite stable (MSS) in 19 (19.0%) patients (P=0.007). The baseline CTCs count (<4 cells/7mL blood) was reported in 39% of the patients, and CTCs ≥4 cells/7mL blood in 61% of the patients (P=0.028). Improved PFS and OS rates were associated significantly with MSI-high (P<0.001), decreased CTC levels during the course of treatment (P<0.001) and post-treatment CTCs (P=0.008). There was no significant association between MSI-high and PFS or OS in early-stage patients (P=0.187 and P=0.187; respectively); however, it was associated significantly with better PFS and OS in late-stage patients (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that only a change in serial CTC levels is considered an independent prognostic factor for OS (P<0.012). Post-treatment CTCs level, serial CTCs level changes during the course of treatment, lymph nodes and distant metastasis were independent prognostic factors for PFS (P<0.001, P= 0.047, P=0.001 and P<0.001; respectively).
conclusionMSI and CTCs could be used as accurate, reliable and sensitive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for CRC patients' survival rates and outcomes.
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