Table 4.
Biomarkers of Circulating Tumor Cells
| First author/s, year | Biomarker | Marker type | Diagnostic or prognostic utility | (Refs.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lu et al., 2020 | Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) | Cellular Biomarker | Associated with worse progression-free survival and higher recurrence risk in early stages. | (89) |
| Sotelo MJ et al., 2021 | Post-surgical CTCs | Cellular Biomarker | Detection after surgery predicts recurrence and metastasis, guiding adjuvant therapy. | (91) |
| Tan et al., 2022 | CTCs reduction | Cellular Biomarker | Reduction after chemotherapy correlates with better therapeutic response. | (93) |
| Rothé F et al., 2021 | Molecularly characterized CTCs | Cellular Biomarker | Provide insights into tumor genotypes for personalized treatment strategies. | (92) |
| Pantel K et al., 2019 | CTCs with KRAS/BRAF mutations | Cellular Biomarker | Predict resistance to EGFR-targeted therapies and guide treatment adjustments. | (94) |
This table emphasizes their utility as non-invasive biomarkers for monitoring CRC. It covers their role in predicting recurrence, assessing treatment response, and guiding adjuvant therapy. Methods for isolation and analysis, such as EpCAM-based detection and label-independent techniques, are detailed, showcasing how CTCs provide real-time insights into tumor evolution and resistance mechanisms.