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KMID : 1188320210150040553
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Gut and Liver
2021 Volume.15 No. 4 p.553 ~ p.561
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Clinical Significance of TWIST-Positive Circulating Tumor Cells in Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
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Lee Hyun-Jung
Kim Gwang-Ha
Park Su-Jin
Kwon Chae-Hwa
Lee Moon-Won
Lee Bong-Eun
Baek Dong-Hoon
I Ho-Seok
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Abstract
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Background/Aims: Unlike other gastrointestinal tract cancers, there are relatively few reports on the clinical significance of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and TWIST, a marker of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of TWIST expression in CTCs in patients with ESCC.
Methods: Peripheral blood samples for CTC analyses were prospectively obtained from 52 patients with ESCC prior to treatment between September 2017 and September 2019. CTCs were detected using a centrifugal microfluidic system based on a fluid-assisted separation technique, and CTCs positive for TWIST on immunostaining were defined as TWIST (+) CTCs.
Results: Of the 52 patients with ESCC, CTCs and TWIST (+) CTCs were detected in 44 patients (84.6%) and 39 patients (75.0%), respectively. The CTC and TWIST (+) CTC counts were significantly higher in patients aged >65 years and those who had a large tumor (>3 cm) than in those aged ≤65 years and those who had a small tumor (≤3 cm), respectively. There were no differences in CTC and TWIST (+) CTC counts according to tumor location, histologic grade, or TNM stage. TWIST (+) CTCs were significantly associated with histologic grade; a proportion of TWIST (+) CTCs ≥0.5 was significantly associated with advanced histologic grade. Other clinicopathologic characteristics such as sex, age, tumor location, tumor size, and TNM stages were not significantly associated with TWIST (+) CTCs.
Conclusions: Our study showed that TWIST (+) CTCs were frequently detected in patients with ESCC, and a high proportion of TWIST (+) CTCs was associated with poor differentiation.
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KEYWORD
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Circulating tumor cells, Esophageal neoplasms, Squamous cell carcinoma, TWIST
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