Research progress of circulating tumor cells in lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of tumor-related death worldwide.Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a key role in the process of distant metastasis in lung cancer.Recent studies suggest that CTCs could be a prediction marker of prognosis and therapeutic efficacy in lung cancer patients.As a kind of liquid biopsy , detection of CTCs has less invasion than biopsies.CTCs may provide real-time information on patient′s disease status and help to improve individual treatment strategies for lung cancer patients. Key words: Circulating tumor cells; Lung cancer; Detection; Epithelial mesenchymal transition