Table 1.
Summary of EMT-CTCs studies selected for review.
| Author Year | Country | HCC Cohort | Blood (mL) |
Time Collection | Treatment | Enrichment Platform |
Category Technique |
Downstream Methods | EMT Marker | Clinical Significances | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Li et al., 2013 [19] |
China | 60 | 10 | Preoperative | - | DG-IM | Positive | IF | Twist, vimentin |
PVTT, tumor size, TNM |
- |
| Schulze et al., 2013 [20] |
Germany | 59 | 7.5 | Preoperative | Any therapies | CellSearch | Positive | IF | EpCAM | BCLC, MaVI, MiVI, |
OS |
| Liu et al., 2016 [21] |
China | 33 | 5 | - | - | CanPatrol | Negative, FT |
FISH | EpCAM, CK8/18/19, twist, vimentin |
Tumor number | MET |
| Chen et al., 2017 [22] |
China | 99 | 5 | Preoperative | Surgical resection, radiochemical |
CanPatrol | Negative, FT |
FISH | EpCAM, CK8/18/19, twist, vimentin |
BCLC stages, metastasis | |
| Court et al., 2018 [23] |
USA | 61 | 4 | Preoperative | Any therapies | NanoVelcro | Positive, MF-IC |
IF | Vimentin | Tumor stage PVI | PFS, OS, TTR |
| Ou et al., 2018 [24] |
China | 165 | 5 | Preoperative | Surgical resection | CanPatrol | Negative, FT |
FISH | EpCAM, CK8/18/19, twist, vimentin |
Tumor number, TNM, BCLC |
RFS |
| Qi et al., 2018 [25] |
China | 112 | 5 | Preoperative, Postoperative |
Surgical resection | CanPatrol | Negative, FT |
FISH | EpCAM, CK8/18/19, twist, vimentin |
BCLC | MET, ER |
| Wang et al., 2018 [26] |
China | 62 | 5 | Postoperative | Surgical resection | CanPatrol | Negative, FT |
FISH | EpCAM, CK8/18/19 twist, vimentin |
- | ER |
| Yin et al., 2018 [27] |
China | 80 | 5 | Preoperative | Surgical resection, TACE |
CanPatrol | Negative, FT |
FISH | EpCAM, CK8/18/19 twist, vimentin |
Tumor number, tumor size, PVTT, TNM |
MET, RECUR |
| Chen et al., 2019 [28] |
China | 143 | 5 | Preoperative, Postoperative |
Surgical resection, ablation |
CanPatrol | Negative, FT |
FISH | EpCAM, CK8/18/19, twist, vimentin |
NS | TTR |
| Bai et al., 2020 [29] |
China | 99 | 5 | Preoperative | Surgical resection | CanPatrol | Negative, FT |
FISH | EpCAM, CK8/18/19, twist, vimentin |
BCLC, tumor size, PVTT |
PFS |
| Qi et al., 2020 [30] |
China | 136 | 5 | Preoperative | Surgical resection | CanPatrol | Negative, FT |
FISH | EpCAM, CK8/18/19, twist, vimentin |
- | TFS, INR, EXR, RECUR |
| Lei et al., 2021 [31] |
China | 160 | 15 | Preoperative | Surgical resection | CanPatrol | Negative, FT |
FISH | EpCAM, CK8/18/19, twist, bimentin |
Tumor size, BCLC |
ER |
| Xie et al., 2021 [32] |
China | 56 | 5 | Preoperative, Postoperative |
Liver transplant | CanPatrol | Negative, FT |
FISH | EpCAM, CK8/18/19, twist, vimentin |
- | RECUR ER |
| Zhang et al., 2021 [33] |
China | 105 | 5 | Preoperative | Surgical resection | CanPatrol | Negative, FT |
FISH | EpCAM, CK8/18/19, twist, vimentin |
CK19 | - |
Enrichment platform: DG, density gradient centrifugation; FACS, Fluorescent-activated cell sorting; IM, immunomagnetic (positive enrichment). Categories technique: FT, filtration; IC, immunocapture; MF, microfluidic; Downstream methods: FISH, fluorescence in situ hybridization; IF, immunofluorescent staining. Clinical significances: BCLC, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer; MaVI, macroscopic vascular invasion; MiVI, microscopic vascular invasion; NS, not significant; PVI, portal vein invasion; PVTT, portal vein tumor thrombus. Outcome: DFS, disease-free survival; ER, early recurrence (risk factor); EXR, extrahepatic recurrence; INR, intrahepatic recurrence; MET, metastasis; OS, overall survival; PFS, progress-free survival; RECUR, recurrence; RFS, recurrence-free survival; TFS, tumor-free survival; TTR, time to recurrence.