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中国癌症防治杂志 ›› 2017, Vol. 9 ›› Issue (1): 55-60.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-5671.2017.01.11

• 临床研究 • 上一篇    下一篇

肝细胞癌患者循环血肿瘤细胞的检测、分型鉴定及其临床意义

  

  1. 广西医科大学附属肿瘤医院肝胆外科;广西肝癌诊疗工程技术研究中心;区域性高发肿瘤早期防治研究教育部重点实验室
  • 出版日期:2017-02-25 发布日期:2017-03-24
  • 通讯作者: 黎乐群。E-mail:Li_lequn@263.com
  • 基金资助:
     国家自然科学基金青年基金资助项目(81502533);广西科学基金青年基金资助项目(2013GXNSFBA019196)

Detection and classification of circulating tumor cells in hepatocellular carcinoma patients and their clinical significance

  1. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery,Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University;Guangxi Liver Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Engineering and Technology Research Center;Key Laboratory of High-Incidence-Tumor Early Prevention and Treatment,Ministry of Education
  • Online:2017-02-25 Published:2017-03-24
  • Contact: Li Lequn.E-mail:Li_lequn@263.com

摘要:

目的 通过对肝细胞癌(hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC)患者外周循环血肿瘤细胞(circulating tumor cells,CTCs)的检测及亚型鉴定,分析其与HCC临床分期的关系及对手术预后的影响。方法 采用CanPatrol™ CTC-二代捕获技术联合RNA多重原位杂交分析(RNA in situ hybridisation,RNA-ISH),检测112例可手术切除HCC患者术前1~2 d 与术后8~10 d外周循环血中的肿瘤细胞,并根据上皮-间叶转化(epithelial-mesenchymal transition,EMT)相关标志物的表达情况对其进行分型鉴定。同时,抽取20名健康志愿者的外周血作对照。结果 112例HCC患者术前1~2 d 检测出CTCs 101例(90.18%),20名健康志愿者的外周血中未检测到CTCs。根据EMT相关标志物的表达情况,将检测出的CTCs 分为上皮型CTCs 、上皮为主型CTCs 、上皮/间叶混合型CTCs 、间叶为主型CTCs 及间叶型CTCs 。其中CTCs总数及间叶型CTCs的比例与HCC的巴塞罗那肝癌临床(barcelona clinic liver cancer,BCLC),分期密切相关。当以CTCs总数等于16作为临界点时,预测患者术后极早期复发的敏感性为55.3 %,特异性为92.3 %,曲线下面积(area under the curve,AUC)为0.74;当以间叶型CTC的比例等于2%作为临界点时,预测患者术后极早期复发的敏感性为80.9 %,特异性为69.2 %,AUC为0.748。CTCs总数≥16且间叶型CTC的比例≥2%组的患者中位无瘤生存期为3.5个月,明显低于单纯 CTCs总数≥16 或间叶型CTC的比例≥2%组(7个月)和CTCs总数<16且间叶型CTC的比例<2% 组(13.5个月),差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。112例HCC患者术后8~10 d CTC总数较术前有所下降,但间叶型CTCs的比例较术前增多。术后出现间叶型CTC的比例增多的患者无瘤生存期短于间叶型CTC的比例下降(或不变)的患者,其预后也较差(P0.05)。对10例患者进行术后连续定期CTCs 变化的动态监测直至复发,发现其中8例患者于出现临床可见复发病灶前的1~2个月,CTCs 就可出现逐渐增多的趋势。结论 HCC患者外周血CTCs阳性率高,CTC能被检测出存在于早期HCC患者外周血中,提示HCC的播散转移是早期事件;术前高CTC总数或高间叶型CTC的比例以及术后出现间叶型CTC的比例增多的患者,其复发时限较短,预后较差。术后动态监测CTC变化,对HCC极早期复发的预测具有一定的临床意义。

关键词: 肝肿瘤, 循环血肿瘤细胞(CTCs), 肝细胞癌, 上皮-间叶转化, 复发, 转移, 预后

Abstract:

 Objective To explore the distribution of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and to analyze their relationship with HCC clinical stage and prognosis after surgery. Methods CanPatrolTM CTC-enrichment and in situ hybridization (ISH) were used to isolate,identify and classify CTCs from the blood of 112 HCC patients and 20 healthy donors. Blood was collected from HCC patients at 1 or 2 days before resection as well as 8-10 days after resection. Results CTCs were detected in 101(90.18%) HCC patients but not in any of the healthy donors. CTCs were classified into five subpopulations based on EMT markers: epithelial CTCs(E-CTC),epithelial-predominant hybrid CTCs(E>M-CTC),epithelial/mesenchymal hybrid CTCs(E≈M-CTC),mesenchymal-predominant hybrid CTCs(M>E-CTC)and mesenchymal CTCs(M-CTC).CTC count and M-CTC percentage were closely related to BCLC stage of HCC. The cut-off value of 16 for CTC count predicted early recurrence with sensitivity of 55.3%,specificity of 92.3% and AUC of 0.74. The cut-off value of 2% for M-CTC percentage predicted recurrence with sensitivity of 80.9%,specificity of 69.2% and AUC of 0.748. Tumor-free survival analyses indicated that patients with both CTC count≥16 and M-CTC≥2% showed significantly lower tumor-free survival than patients with both CTC count<16 and M-CTC<2% and patients with only CTC count≥16 or M-CTC≥2%. Postoperative levels were measured in all 112 patients at 8-10 days following resection. CTC count dropped after surgery,whereas M-CTC percentage increased. Patients in whom M-CTC percentage increased,showed significantly shorter tumor-free survival than patients in whom M-CTC percentage decreased or stayed the same(P<0.05). In 10 patients monitored postoperatively for CTC changes,8 displayed an increase in CTC count at 1-2 months before recurrence or appearance of metastatic lesions. Conclusions CTCs were detected in a high percentage of HCC patients,including early-stage HCC patients,suggesting that tumor dissemination may be an early event. Patients with high CTC count and/or M-CTC percentage and patients in whom M-CTC percentage increased after surgery show lower tumor-free survival and worse prognosis. Postoperative monitoring of changes in CTC counts after surgery may allow early prediction of recurrence.

Key words: Liver neoplasms , Circulating tumor cells, Epithelial-mesenchymal transition, Recurrence , Metastasis, Prognosis