The Role of circulating and disseminated cells in metastases
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the presence of epithelial cells within the blood of healthy individuals and within the bone marrow of patients with a haematological malignancy
IRAS ID
156824
Contact name
Terry Jones
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Alex Astor
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 1 days
Research summary
Metastases is the main cause of death in patients with solid tumours. Patients suffering from Head and Neck Cancer (HNSCC) harbour cancerous cells within the blood and bone marrow. It is hypothesized from work on breast cancer these cells are responsible for metastases formation. It is the aim of this group to study these cells in Head and neck cancer.
HNSCC arises from epithelial cells lining the mouth and upper aerodigestive tract. Detection of these cells relies on the assumption; epithelial cells should not be found in blood or bone marrow in patients without an epithelial cell derived tumour. It is our intention to seek to validate this assumption by testing healthy patients and patients who are already having a bone marrow aspirate for a haematological malignancy. The bone marrow should not routinely harbour epithelial cells, even with a haematological malignancy these cells have a different lineage and would not express epithelial cell markers.
Identification of circulating and disseminated cells will be through a variety of techniques; assessing the efficacy of each, allowing determination for the optimal strategy for detecting these cells. Immunohistochemistry will be employed for the cell surface antigens; cytokeratins 19 and 44 along with the cell membrane protein E48. Reverse Transcription Polymerase chain reaction of E48 and EGFR transcripts will also be assessed.
It is anticipated a mutlimodal apprach in which two or more methods may be employed to give the highest sensitivity and specificity.
If utilising the peer reviewed techniques the authors were not able to detect epithelai cells within the peripheral blood of healthy individuals and within the bone marrow of haematological cancer patients this would give a reliable base for future testing of circulating and disseminated tumour cells in head and neck cancer patients
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SW/1100
Date of REC Opinion
21 Oct 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion