Isolation and Whole Genome Amplification of Single Circulating Tumor Cells in Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Pilot Study

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Introduction: We have previously demonstrated that Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) can be detected in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NET) and that their presence is prognostic. Downstream analysis of CTCs provides an opportunity to explore their potential as biomarker for targeted therapy. Here we present initial data which demonstrates that molecular profiling can be successfully performed on single CTCs from patients with NETs

Aim(s): To isolate single CTCs from patients, amplify their DNA and subject them to mutational analysis.

Materials and methods: Six consenting patients (three midgut, two pancreatic and one oesophageal) provided 7.5 ml blood which was processed using the CellSearch system (Veridex). CTCs were isolated using the DEPArray platform and subjected to whole genome amplification (WGA) using AMpli1 WGA kit. Single white blood cells were used as a control. Sanger sequencing across the mutational hotspots for K-ras was then performed as proof of principle.

Conference: 10th Annual ENETSConcerence (2013)

Presenting Author:

Authors: Mandair D, Karpathakis A, Lowe H, Griffin N, Caplin M,

Keywords: circulating tumor cells, biomarker,