Blood Extracellular Vesicles Beyond Circulating Tumour Cells: A Valuable Risk Stratification Biomarker in High-Risk Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Patients.

Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) prognosis varies significantly due to the biological and clinical heterogeneity. High-risk stage T1-G3, comprising 15-20% of NMIBCs, involves the lamina propria and is associated with higher rates of recurrence, progression, and cancer-specific mortality. In the present study, we have evaluated the enumeration of tumour-derived extracellular vesicles (tdEVs) and circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in high-risk NMIBC patients and their correlation with survival outcomes such as time to progression (TTP), and cancer-specific survival (CSS).

Circulating Cancer-Associated Macrophage-like Cells as a Blood-Based Biomarker of Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Evidence has been provided that circulating cancer-associated macrophage-like cell (CAM-L) numbers increase in response to chemotherapy, with an inverse trend compared to circulating tumor cells (CTCs). In the era of evolving cancer immunotherapy, whether CAM-Ls might have a potential role as predictive biomarkers of response has been unexplored. We evaluated whether a serial blood evaluation of CTC to CAM-L ratio might predict response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in a cohort of non-small-cell lung cancer patients.

Early Detection of Disease Progression in Metastatic Cancers: Could CTCs Improve RECIST Criteria?

Early detection of disease progression is a crucial issue in the management of cancer patients, especially in metastatic settings. Currently, treatment selection mostly relies on criteria based on radiologic evaluations (RECIST). The aim of the present retrospective study is to evaluate the potential inclusion of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in hybrid criteria.