Thymidylate synthase expression in circulating tumor cells: a new tool to predict 5-fluorouracil resistance in metastatic colorectal cancer patients.

摘要: Thymidylate synthase (TYMS) is an important enzyme for 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) metabolism in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. The search this circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be a powerful tool to follow-up mCRC patients were enrolled before the beginning of 5-FU-based chemotherapy. blood was filtered on Isolation by Size Epithelial Tumor Cells (ISET), and analysis TYMS expression CTCs made immunocytochemistry. Additionally, we verified staining primary tumors metastases from same There included 54 47 them received median number 2 per mL. We not able analyze immunocytochemistry 13 samples (9 with absence 4 due technical reasons). Therefore, analyzed 34 found positive 9 (26.5%). Six these had progression after treatment 5-FU. association between CTC disease (DP), although without statistical significance (P = 0.07). tissues did have any correlation (P = 0.67 P = 0.42 respectively). Patients who count above (2 CTCs/mL) showed more (P = 0.02) correlating worse prognosis. Our results searching CTCs, suggest that useful as 5-FU resistance predictor biomarker if