New research from China reveals that circulating tumor cell (CTC) count can enhance the diagnosis of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). Combining CTC count with prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and prostate cancer likelihood scores achieved the highest diagnostic accuracy in men undergoing prostate biopsy.
The study assessed 90 patients who underwent ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy. Among these, 46 had positive CTC results, with 52 ultimately diagnosed with csPCa. Patients with positive CTC showed higher PSA levels, larger prostate volumes, and elevated Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) scores, in addition to more advanced cancer stages and higher biopsy Gleason scores.
CTC positivity was noted at 63.5% in csPCa patients, compared to 34.2% in those without. Multivariate analysis found PSA levels, PI-RADS score, and CTC count as independent predictors of csPCa. The strongest diagnostic accuracy emerged from the combination of these metrics, demonstrating significant improvements over traditional evaluation methods. Future research may delve into genomic analyses of captured CTCs to understand their impact on biopsy outcomes.