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Veridex circulating tumor cell test?

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Posted 5/13/2009 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
To All,

I would like to know if anyone has had this test run. If so, what is your opinion of the test and how useful did your attending physician find the information produced by the test? Did you have the test done as a diagnostic tool or as a monitoring tool post treatment?

My reason for asking is that I am one year into my ADT and eight months post radiation. I am not sure PSA is really a reflection of my situation. My case was considered advanced at diagnosis.

Any comments would be appreciated. Last PSA was .3 taken on May 11, 2009.

Don

Posted 5/13/2009 6:41 PM (GMT 0)

For those like me that don't what it is...Here's a liitle excert:

CLEVELAND CLINIC RECOGNIZES CIRCULATING TUMOR CELL TECHNOLOGY AS TOP MEDICAL INNOVATION FOR 2009
http://www.nnpkit.com/veridex/cellsearch/

The CellSearch® System is the first diagnostic test to automate the capture and detection of tumor cells that have detached from solid tumors and entered the patient’s blood. With the CellSearch® System, it is possible to reproducibly find a single circulating tumor cell among approximately 40 billion blood cells in a 7.5 mL blood sample.

The ability to identify a single cancer cell through this innovative technology provides physicians with an important measure of a patient’s disease prognosis to help them make more informed patient care decisions. Dr. Mark Graham, a practicing oncologist from Waverly Hematology Oncology in Cary, North Carolina, has used CellSearch® for the past two years to regularly monitor the prognosis of his population of metastatic breast cancer patients.

Posted 5/13/2009 8:30 PM (GMT 0)
I had this test.
Mine came back zero. CTC is good for us advanced guys. I will have another in October...

Tony
Posted 5/13/2009 9:04 PM (GMT 0)

Hello Steve and Tony,

Steve thanks for posting the test.

Tony, I assume that you found the information afforded by the test to be of a benefit since you are planning to take it again. From what I can gather it is best used as a gauge of disease progression and can give an early warning. Don't know if it is earlier than PSA.

Thanks again to both of you for your replies.

Don 

Posted 5/13/2009 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
PSA can rise in the case of a local recurrance. Finding tumor cells in blood is indicitive of metastatic disease potential. So the CTC is more useful in identifying metastatic disease earlier. It is unclear to me that it would change a treatment plan. When my doctor did the test, if CTC found any circulating cells, it was unclear if we should start chemotherapy based on the results. But likely that would be the case. My oncologist participates in the study of CTC. It was part of that study that my blood was drawn.

Tony
Posted 5/14/2009 12:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Tony,

Yes, the reason I was looking at this was to determine if I should be looking at chemo or perhaps a trial if my treatment so far turns out to be ineffective. My uro told me at the outset that my odds were slim. The radiation oncologist was a bit more optimistic at 70% chance of cure. The frustrating thing is that there is so darned little than can be measured to provide one with a comfort level that the treatment is yielding results. (or not) I will begin my second year of ADT (monotherapy) this coming Friday. The hormone suppresses the PSA so how do you know if the radiation has had any effect? I have had almost none of the radiation side effects with the exception of a brief period during treatment.

Thanks again for your input. It is much appreciated.

Take care,
Don
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