Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) have been studied as biomarkers of a number of urological cancers, although the data are strongest in prostate cancer. CTCs have potential clinical applications in early cancer detection, disease staging, monitoring for recurrence, prognostication, and therapy selection, and might help identify which patients are most likely to respond to androgen-pathway targeted therapies for prostate cancer. In this Review, Gorin and colleagues consider the evidence for a role of CTCs in prostate, bladder, and kidney cancer, and discuss their potential clinical applications.
- Michael A. Gorin
- James E. Verdone
- Kenneth J. Pienta