A preliminary study on the relationship between circulating tumor cells count and clinical features in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents 80% of all lung cancers and is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide (1). A number of factors can affect survival, including patient’s age, NSCLC subtype, tumor genetic characteristics, response to therapy. In addition, stage of disease at diagnosis has a profound impact on survival. According to the American Cancer Society, based on analysis of SEER registry data between 1998 and 2000, 5-year survival rates of stage IA and IB are 49% and 45% respectively, however, the rates decrease to around 30% for stage II (A&B), to 14% for IIIA and about 5% for stage IIIB, while stage IV survival rate is merely 1% (2). The vast majority of NSCLC (70%) present as advanced disease.