VIDEO | Circulating tumor cells analysis and characterization with CELLSEARCH: reliable insights from the lab to the clinic

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On 05 December 2024, the EACR hosted a webinar in collaboration with Menarini Silicon Biosystems, one of our valued EACR Industry Partners. We were delighted to welcome Professor Paola Gazzaniga who is Chief of the Liquid Biopsy Unit at Sapienza University of Rome. She talked about advances in the field of cell based liquid biopsy using the gold-standard CELLSEARCH System® for circulating tumor cells analysis.

Thanks to Prof Gazzaniga and Menarini Silicon Biosystems, we are able to provide free on-demand access to the full webinar recording, which can be found above.


Talk abstract

To date, 20 years after the first demonstration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) prognostic significance in metastatic breast cancer using the US Food and Drug Administration–cleared system CELLSEARCH®, evidence has been provided that, beyond enumeration, CTC characterization could provide additional, significant information.

The potential role of molecular analysis of CTCs for treatment stratification is still a major unsolved question. To improve the depth of information, a fourth fluorescence channel was introduced into the CELLSEARCH system, allowing for an additional antibody staining – such as a specific therapeutic target. Using this approach, in the last 10 years my group has been involved in the characterization of specific drug resistance profiles of CTCs allowing for a dynamic treatment monitoring in patients treated with chemotherapies, targeted therapies and immunotherapies.


Speaker

Prof Paola Gazzaniga, MD PhD, Chief of the Liquid Biopsy Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome

Prof. Paola Gazzaniga is Chief of the Liquid Biopsy Unit of the Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, and full professor in precision oncology with a strong commitment to academic duties management. She leads a highly motivated group dedicated to the translation of major achievements in the field of liquid biopsy into concrete tools for cancer patients.

She is involved in the study of the mechanisms underlying the clonal evolution of solid tumors through liquid biopsies, with the following aims:

  1. Identification of predictive biomarkers to targeted therapies and immunotherapies in circulating tumor cells
  2. Early identification of the onset of drug resistance
  3. Identification of new therapeutic targets.

Through national and international collaborations, she is involved in several pilot and phase 2 studies aimed to definitely integrate liquid biopsies into clinical practice. Her work in this field is attested by the collaborative works and publications with national and international groups involved in liquid biopsy- guided trials, published in high impact journals. She has authored or co-authored > 110 scientific publications in this field and several book chapters.


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