Scientists have recently discovered in a new study from Queen Mary University of London that the blood levels circulating tumor cells may help identify patients diagnosis of aggressive metastatic prostate cancer, which would impact how much sooner they receive treatment.

Published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, this study addresses an unmet medical need which is an accurate way of predicting aggressive prostate cancer early.

This also identifies more knowledge when it comes to preventing cancers spreading to new areas of the body which is the main reason why people die from prostate cancer. This study shows a significant new way of helping to monitor the spread in men with the disease. Results were able to predict which patients were likely to result better than others, based on the number of rare type of immune cell found in the blood. Doctors would be able to make better-informed treatment decisions by adding this additional layer of information and ultimately prove survival.

The study examined blood samples collected from 81 prostate cancer patients and analyzed using a new cell capture technology called Parsortix developed by Angle. This system has the ability to capture many different types of cancer cells in the bloodstream even after leaving the tumor.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) were investigated in this study and have been reported to be involved in poor patient survival which correlates to the beginning of metastasis formation.

Ultimately the results from this study open up many additional opportunities to benefit cancer patients and already more tests are underway using additional prostate cancer patient’s cells. Researchers are also further looking to see if this can be tested on patients with other types of cancer.