Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are associated with metastasis. However, the low rate of detection of CTCs in peripheral vein blood (PVB) limits their clinical application. In this study, we observed higher positive rates of CTC in first drainage vein blood (FDVB) relative to peripheral venous blood (p < 0.001). Moreover, the CTC content was related to liver metastasis, T stage, and CA19-9 levels. Our collective data suggest that CTCs in FDVB have good predictive utility for the risk of liver metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC), in particular, metachronous liver metastasis.
Keywords: Circulating tumor cells; colorectal cancer; first drainage vein blood; liver metastasis prediction.