@Article{biocell.2023.028343,
AUTHOR = {XIAOFENG LI, JINYANG ZHENG, JINFENG ZHU, XIN HUANG, HUANHUAN ZHU, BINGDI CHEN},
TITLE = {Circulating tumor cells: Biological features and survival mechanisms},
JOURNAL = {BIOCELL},
VOLUME = {47},
YEAR = {2023},
NUMBER = {8},
PAGES = {1771--1781},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/biocell/v47n8/53793},
ISSN = {1667-5746},
ABSTRACT = {Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are neoplastic cells that are detached from primary tumors and enter
circulation. Enumeration and characterization of CTCs are of significance in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and
treatment monitoring. CTC survival in the bloodstream is a limiting step for the development of metastases in distant
organs. Recent technological advances, especially in single-cell molecular analyses have uncovered heterogeneous CTC
survival mechanisms. Undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), increasing stem cell-like properties,
and forming cell clusters enable CTCs to adapt to the harsh microenvironment of the circulation. Expressing and
releasing several immunosuppressive molecules help CTCs escape from anti-cancer immune mechanisms. This review
article summarizes the biological characteristics of CTCs and focuses on the recent understanding of the mechanisms
by which CTCs survive in circulation. Additionally, the clinical and therapeutic implications of CTCs are discussed.},
DOI = {10.32604/biocell.2023.028343}
}