In the early stages of cancer, noticeable symptoms are often absent, and conventional imaging methods may difficult to detect the tumor development. At this stage, tumor cells may have already been abnormally proliferating in the body, but their size may be too small to be detected by current imaging technologies, and they may not have caused any significant impact on bodily functions yet. In order to detect cancer risks early, a groundbreaking detection technique has emerged to identify cancer risk early. This innovative method is known as the Circulating Tumor Cell Test (CTC Test).Pourali, G., Khalili-Tanha, G., Nazari, E., Maftooh, M., Nassiri, M., Hassanian, S. M., Mobarhan, M. G., Khazaei, M., Ferns, G., & Avan, A. (2023). Circulating Tumor Cells and Cell-free Nucleic Acids as Biomarkers in Colorectal Cancer. Current pharmaceutical design, 29(10), 748–765.What are Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC)?Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) are one of the important targets for tumor liquid biopsy. CTCs are malignant cells that detach from primary or metastatic tumors during tumor formation or progression and enter the bloodstream. These cells are often referred as the “seeds” of tumor recurrence and metastasis. Analogous to blood cells, CTCs circulate in the bloodstream, disseminating to various regions of the body. Upon reaching at a favorable environment, they settle and undergo further proliferation, and become a new tumor site(s).An enormous amount of academic research studies indicates that CTCs carry more comprehensive tumor information and provide more direct reflection of tumor development risk than other biomarkers. As early in 2007, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) included CTCs as a tumor biomarker, effectively predicting progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in metastatic colon cancer patients through the number of CTCs, which is used to guide and monitor cancer treatment. Subsequently, the application of CTCs has been widely incorporated into various domestic and international clinical guidelines and consensus, including the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC, 2010-present), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN, 2017-present), and the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO, 2019-present).Alix-Panabières, C., Pantel, K. (2017) Clinical prospects of liquid biopsies. Nat Biomed Eng, 1, 0065.N. J. Meropol, S. J. Cohen, N. Iannotti, B. H. Saidman, K. D. Sabbath, M. C. Miller, G. V. Doyle, H. Tissing, L.W.M.M. Terstappen, and C.J.A. Punt. (2007). Circulating tumor cells (CTC) predict progression free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 25(18), suppl 4010.How is Circulating Tumor Cell Test (CTC Test) being conducted?Circulating Tumor Cell Test (CTC Test) is a liquid biopsy method that employs advanced testing technologies to capture and identify CTCs in the blood for downstream analysis.What is a liquid biopsy, and how does it differ from traditional tissue biopsies?Liquid BiopsyLiquid biopsy refers to the methods of using body fluid for disease monitoring, diagnosis, and health evaluation. Blood is the most commonly used specimen for cancer detection, as it contains various kind of biomarkers that are directly related to tumors, such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), cell-free DNA (cfDNA), and circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Clinical research articles have shown that blood biopsies can provide predictive values of survival outcomes and prognosis for cancer patients, also serve as one of the indicators for treatment efficacy monitoring.Neumann, M. H. D., Bender, S., Krahn, T., & Schlange, T. (2018). ctDNA and CTCs in Liquid Biopsy — Current Status and Where We Need to Progress. Computational and structural biotechnology journal, 16, 190–195.Tissue BiopsyIn contrast, tissue biopsy administers highly invasive sampling methods (such as surgical procedures) to extract target body tissues for pathological and molecular analysis. Although tissue biopsy is currently being considered as the “gold standard” for cancer diagnosis, it is much more invasive than liquid biopsy, involves high risk procedures, and is not appliable for early screening purposes.Comparison of Liquid Biopsy and Tissue Biopsy CanTell Circulating Tumor Cell Test (CTC Test) | Professional Advanced Test TechnologyCanTell CTC test, developed and transformed by the technical research team at City University of Hong Kong, is an advanced liquid biopsy technology for detecting tumors. This technology has high sensitivity and specificity, enabling more comprehensive, safe, and accurate detection, making it suitable for regular monitoring every 3–6 months. By using this technology for early cancer screening, it can detect changes at the cellular level in the body at an early stage, helping us to identify cancer risk sooner and take appropriate measures to prevent cancer development.Which types of cancer is CanTell blood circulating tumor cell (CTC) detection is applicable? Who is suitable for the CTC test?CanTell CTC test covers 35 types of cancers, including common cancer types like lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and liver cancer, as well as harder-to-detect cancers such as pancreatic cancer. Details can be found on CanTell CTC test services.Since cancer may not show symptoms in its early stages, the test is suitable for all individuals, especially those who are experiencing discomfort or are focused on their health. Additionally, older individuals, those with family history of cancer, suboptimal health conditions, and those with unhealthy lifestyles are at an increased risk of developing cancer. Therefore, such individuals should consider strengthening their cancer screening efforts and undergoing CanTell CTC test as early as possible. CanTell CTC test, with simple blood draw that helps individuals and cancer patients in cancer management.5 Simple Steps to Complete the TestStep 1 — Make appointment with our service providerStep 2 — Visit the designated clinic for blood drawingStep 3 — The sample will be tested at a laboratory in Hong Kong, and you will receive the test report within 5 working days.Step 4 — Obtain personalized health guidance from clinic doctor.Step 5 — Test regularly and track the trend of cancer risk.Advantages of CanTell Circulating Tumor Cell Test (CTC Test) In the fast-paced modern social life, we have to pay extra attention to our health, especially for fatal diseases like cancer. Through cutting-edge early cancer detection, we could detect the potential risk of cancer early and take appropriate measures to safeguard our future well-being. The CanTell CTC test technology has provided a more efficient and precise solution for early cancer detection. Let us prioritize our health, stay far away from the threat of cancer, and embrace a life that is abundant and extraordinary.
