Aggarwal C et al. – The current study showed the circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can serve as a surrogate biomarker for clinical response in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) undergoing treatment.

Methods

• CTCs were enumerated in 50 patients with newly-diagnosed SCLC.

Results

• Tge baseline CTC number was higher for patients with extended disease than limited disease (median CTC 71 vs. 1.5, respectively).
• Patients with <5 CTC had longer PFS, but not OS (11 vs. 6.7 months; and 15.5 vs. 12.9 months).
• A higher cut-off (CTC?less than?50 or CTC?greater than or equal to?50) was correlated with OS (20.2 vs. 11.8 months) and PFS (10 vs. 4.8 months).
• Patients with less than 5 CTC on day 1 of cycle 2 had longer PFS (10 vs. 3.17 months) and OS (18 vs. 9 months).
• An increase in ?2HAX-positive CTCs after chemotherapy was associated with a longer OS compared to no increase (25.3 vs. 9 months).