Cancer-associated macrophage-like cells as a prognostic biomarker in solid tumors.

Cancer-associated macrophage-like cells (CAMLs) are myeloid-lineage cells associated with cancer-derived material that are detectable in the blood. In addition to circulating tumor cells, CAMLs are a promising liquid biopsy biomarker which may assist with prognostication for patient stratification and monitoring response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy in solid tumors. CAMLs have been detected in blood samples from patients with various tumors including lung, pancreas, breast, oesophageal, and colorectal cancers, and to date have not been detected in healthy individuals.