Circulating tumour cell detection
The ability to detect circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in blood samples from patients receiving anti-cancer drugs represents a powerful new technique to assess their efficacy in the clinic.
A team of scientists have optimised the technology to measure CTCs in men with prostate cancer, and shown that specific alterations in the ERG oncogene detected in CTCs can predict the degree of benefit from the hormonal treatment abiraterone.
In future this technology may help personalise cancer treatments and provide a convenient test to monitor response to drug treatment in the clinic.