Dr. Tagawa on CTCs in Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer

Scott T. Tagawa, MD, assistant professor of medicine, medical director, Genitourinary Oncology Research Program, Weill Cornell Medical College, discusses the molecular characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in neuroendocrine-positive prostate cancer.

In prostate cancer, there has been a problem with molecular characterization because it was traditionally difficult to biopsy bone. By counting and analyzing CTCs, physicians can characterize the disease, Tagawa says.

CellSearch, the platform that captures and counts CTCs, is generic and does not rely on a specific protein or antigen. Less is known about the neuroendocrine subset of prostate cancers because it only exists in about 25% of prostate cancer patients, Tagawa says. A study captured CTCs in neuroendocrine patients and characterized them. Tagawa says this study, although small, proves that CTCs have utility in this subset of patients.