Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of single circulating tumor cells in the follow-up of high-grade serous ovarian cancer

Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review

Contributors

  • Carolin Salmon - , University of Duisburg-Essen (Author)
  • Rui P.L. Neves - , University Hospital Duesseldorf (Author)
  • Nikolas H. Stoecklein - , University Hospital Duesseldorf (Author)
  • Sven Thorsten Liffers - , University of Duisburg-Essen, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) (Author)
  • Jens Siveke - , University of Duisburg-Essen, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) (Author)
  • Jan D. Kuhlmann - , Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Dresden (Author)
  • Pauline Wimberger - , National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Dresden (Author)
  • Paul Buderath - , University of Duisburg-Essen (Author)
  • Rainer Kimmig - , University of Duisburg-Essen (Author)
  • Sabine Kasimir-Bauer - , University of Duisburg-Essen (Author)

Abstract

Single circulating tumor cell (sCTC) analysis enables the determination of predominant CTC phenotypes and genotypes. We previously demonstrated the feasibility of sCTC detection and genomic characterization in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) by combining immune-magnetic enrichment and image-based sorting, followed by whole-genome amplification (WGA) and next-generation sequencing-based copy number alteration analysis (CNA). Here we aimed to improve our workflow by incorporating HGSOC-specific markers, folate receptor alpha (FRα), and markers to identify epithelial (cytokeratin) and mesenchymal (vimentin) phenotypes for the phenotypic as well as genotypic analysis of sCTCs over the course of treatment in 42 HGSOC patients. We detected a significant reduction of FRα-positive cells (P = 0.0205) and an expansion of cells with a high nuclear staining and no target antigen expression (P = 0.002). Before treatment, sCTCs showed an enrichment in CNAs of Chromosomes 2, 7, and 12, while CNA dynamics of sCTCs suggested a potential selection of distinct CNAs specific to the homologous recombination pathway. sCTCs revealed persistent CNAs in the CDK4 and emerging ones in the ALK oncogene. Notably, primary tumors revealed considerable fractions of shared genomic aberrations.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1535-1555
Number of pages21
JournalMolecular Oncology
Volume20
Issue number6
Early online date23 Dec 2025
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2026
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 41437733

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • genotype, high-grade serous ovarian cancer, phenotype, single cell sequencing, single circulating tumor cells