Mesenchymal marker and LGR5 expression levels in circulating tumor cells correlate with colorectal cancer prognosis

Purpose The presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has been found to correlate with colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis, whereas epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in CTCs has been found to be associated with CRC metastasis. LGR5 is a known target of Wnt signaling and plays an important role in CRC development. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical relevance of EMT and LGR5 expression in CTCs from CRC patients.