Abstract：
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are found in the blood of patients with cancer, including head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). The aim is to review the most up-to-date status of CTCs for applications in patients with HNSCC.
English articles in PubMed.
All the studies on CTCs in HNSCCs in the literature were reviewed.
There is emerging information on the diagnostic and prognostic value of CTCs in HNSCCs. Evidence also highlights the advantages of various downstream analysis approaches over circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), such as single-CTC analysis, ex vivo, and in vivo expansion of CTCs. Multiple phenotypic surface markers (cytokeratins, EpCAM, vimentin, etc.), used for CTCs characterization using different immunoassays, could predict disease progression as well as patients\' response to treatment efficacy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors\' status in CTCs could also provide better insight into treatment. Clonal expansion of CTCs and single-cell analysis of CTCs are the most emerging fields nowadays which may offer an understanding of the mechanism of tumor evolution as well as therapeutic efficacy. Although several clinical trials are ongoing, limitations still exist in the detection and characterization of CTCs. Due to the lack of a gold standard protocol, the sensitivity and specificity of CTC enumeration methods vary.
Prospective clinical trials are still needed before CTCs can be employed as diagnostic and prognostic markers in the clinical management of patients with HNSCC.
English articles in PubMed.
All the studies on CTCs in HNSCCs in the literature were reviewed.
There is emerging information on the diagnostic and prognostic value of CTCs in HNSCCs. Evidence also highlights the advantages of various downstream analysis approaches over circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), such as single-CTC analysis, ex vivo, and in vivo expansion of CTCs. Multiple phenotypic surface markers (cytokeratins, EpCAM, vimentin, etc.), used for CTCs characterization using different immunoassays, could predict disease progression as well as patients\' response to treatment efficacy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors\' status in CTCs could also provide better insight into treatment. Clonal expansion of CTCs and single-cell analysis of CTCs are the most emerging fields nowadays which may offer an understanding of the mechanism of tumor evolution as well as therapeutic efficacy. Although several clinical trials are ongoing, limitations still exist in the detection and characterization of CTCs. Due to the lack of a gold standard protocol, the sensitivity and specificity of CTC enumeration methods vary.
Prospective clinical trials are still needed before CTCs can be employed as diagnostic and prognostic markers in the clinical management of patients with HNSCC.
摘要：
目的：在癌症患者的血液中发现循环肿瘤细胞（CTCs），包括头颈部鳞状细胞癌（HNSCC）。目的是回顾CTC在HNSCC患者中的应用的最新状态。
方法：PubMed中的英文文章。
方法：综述了文献中关于CTCs在HNSCCs中的所有研究。
结论：关于CTC在HNSCC中的诊断和预后价值有新的信息。证据还强调了各种下游分析方法相对于循环肿瘤DNA（ctDNA）的优势，例如单CTC分析，离体,和CTC的体内扩增。多种表型表面标记（细胞角蛋白，EpCAM,波形蛋白,等。),用于使用不同的免疫测定法表征CTC，可以预测疾病进展以及患者对治疗效果的反应。CTC中的免疫检查点抑制剂状态也可以更好地了解治疗。CTC的克隆扩增和CTC的单细胞分析是当今最新兴的领域，可以提供对肿瘤进化机制以及治疗功效的理解。虽然几项临床试验正在进行中，在CTC的检测和表征方面仍然存在局限性。由于缺乏黄金标准协议，CTC计数方法的敏感性和特异性各不相同。
结论：在将CTC用作HNSCC患者的临床治疗中的诊断和预后标志物之前，仍需要进行前瞻性临床试验。
方法：PubMed中的英文文章。
方法：综述了文献中关于CTCs在HNSCCs中的所有研究。
结论：关于CTC在HNSCC中的诊断和预后价值有新的信息。证据还强调了各种下游分析方法相对于循环肿瘤DNA（ctDNA）的优势，例如单CTC分析，离体,和CTC的体内扩增。多种表型表面标记（细胞角蛋白，EpCAM,波形蛋白,等。),用于使用不同的免疫测定法表征CTC，可以预测疾病进展以及患者对治疗效果的反应。CTC中的免疫检查点抑制剂状态也可以更好地了解治疗。CTC的克隆扩增和CTC的单细胞分析是当今最新兴的领域，可以提供对肿瘤进化机制以及治疗功效的理解。虽然几项临床试验正在进行中，在CTC的检测和表征方面仍然存在局限性。由于缺乏黄金标准协议，CTC计数方法的敏感性和特异性各不相同。
结论：在将CTC用作HNSCC患者的临床治疗中的诊断和预后标志物之前，仍需要进行前瞻性临床试验。
