Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40457073›Full record

ArticleNature genetics2025

Phylogenetic inference reveals clonal heterogeneity in circulating tumor cell clusters.

David Gremmelspacher, Johannes Gawron, Barbara M Szczerba, Katharina Jahn, Francesc Castro-Giner, Jack Kuipers, Jochen Singer, Francesco Marass, Ana Gvozdenovic, Selina Budinjas and 10 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature genetics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. CTC cluster in breast cancer: synergetic metastasis promotion mechanism and transformation path from platelet cloaking to leukocyte escort.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2026
    Review
  3. Review
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  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

David Gremmelspacher *Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Johannes Gawron *Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-8559-1212
Barbara M SzczerbaDepartment of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Katharina JahnDepartment of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland.
Francesc Castro-GinerDepartment of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6111-0754
Jack KuipersDepartment of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5357-2705
Jochen SingerDepartment of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland.
Francesco MarassDepartment of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8993-7320
Ana GvozdenovicDepartment of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6013-0355
Selina BudinjasDepartment of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Heike PueschelDepartment of Urology, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Cyrill A RentschDepartment of Urology, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8085-6006
Alfred ZippeliusDepartment of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Viola Heinzelmann-SchwarzGynecologic Cancer Center, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Christian KurzederGynecologic Cancer Center, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Walter Paul WeberBreast Center, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Christoph RochlitzDepartment of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Marcus VetterDepartment of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Niko BeerenwinkelDepartment of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland. niko.beerenwinkel@bsse.ethz.ch.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0573-6119
Nicola AcetoDepartment of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. naceto@ethz.ch.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9579-6918

Funding

EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Excellent Science | H2020 European Research Council (H2020 Excellent Science - European Research Council) 101001652Krebsliga Schweiz (Ligue Suisse Contre le Cancer) KLS-5636-08-2022Wellcome Trust 212183
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Circulating tumor cell (CTC) clusters are highly efficient metastatic seeds in various cancers. Yet, their genetic heterogeneity and clonal architecture is poorly characterized. Using whole-exome sequencing coupled with phylogenetic inference from CTC clusters of patients with breast and prostate cancer, as well as mouse cancer models alongside barcode-mediated clonal tracking in vivo, we demonstrate oligoclonal composition of individual CTC clusters. These results improve our understanding of metastasis-relevant clonal dynamics.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsGenetic HeterogeneityNeoplastic Cells, CirculatingPhylogenyProstatic NeoplasmsAnimalsClone CellsExome SequencingFemaleHumansMaleMice

Identifiers

PMID40457073
PMCPMC12165839

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.