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Murray. J Cancer Metastasis Treat 2016;2:453-62 Journal of
DOI: 10.20517/2394-4722.2016.55
Cancer Metastasis and Treatment

www.jcmtjournal.com
Topic: Circulating Tumor Cells: Diagnostics and Clinical Applications Open Access

The significance and clinical utility of the

detection of primary malignant circulating

prostate cells: a review of the evidence

Nigel P. Murray 1,2

1 Hospital Carabineros of Chile, Nunoa, 7770199 Santiago, Chile.
2 Faculty of Medicine, University Finis Terrae, Providencia, 7501015 Santiago, Chile.

Correspondence to: Dr. Nigel P. Murray, Faculty of Medicine, University Finis Terrae, Providencia, 7501015 Santiago, Chile.
E-mail: nigelpetermurray@gmail.com
How to cite this article: Murray NP. The significance and clinical utility of the detection of primary malignant circulating prostate cells: a review of
the evidence. J Cancer Metastasis Treat 2016;2:453-62.
Dr. Nigel P. Murray is currently a Professor in Hematology and Internal Medicine in the University Finis Terrae,
Santiago, Chile where he heads the Circulating Tumor Cell unit and is the Head of Hematology, Hospital de
Carabineros de Chile, Santiago, Chile. His research interests included the use of primary and secondary circulating
prostate cells in the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer, with over 30 publications in PubMed.

ABSTRACT
Article history: Primary malignant circulating prostate cells (CPCs) are those detected in blood before
Received: 21-09-2016 definitive treatment for prostate cancer. CPCs can be detected in men with benign prostate
Accepted: 01-12-2016 disease; however, some methods to distinguish between benign and malignant prostate
Published: 16-12-2016 cells have to be validated. This study presents a review of the subject, including theoretical
considerations for the selection of markers to detect them, the different methods used, and the
Key words: utility of their detection in identifying men with prostate cancer and as a prognostic factor.
Prostate cancer,
circulating prostate cells,
cancer detection,
prognostic factor

INTRODUCTION changes and the aging population, the number of men
with this cancer has steadily increased. The natural
Prostate cancer is the most common tumor diagnosed history of untreated prostate cancer is one of evolution
in men in the Western world. With demographic to a metastatic disease, especially disseminating to

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