Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and hTERT gene expression in CTCs for radiotherapy effect with lung cancer

BMC Cancer

Table 2 Relationship between CTC count and patients’ general characteristics

Factor	Total		CTCs number ≤ 13		CTCs number>13		χ ²	P
Factor	N	Ratio (%)	N	Ratio (%)	N	Ratio (%)	χ ²	P
Age (years)							2.107	0.147
≤ 60	36	56.25	22	64.71	14	46.67
>60	28	43.75	12	35.29	16	53.33
Gender							0.323	0.570
Male	56	87.50	29	85.29	27	90.00
Female	8	12.50	5	14.71	3	10.00
Histology							2.016	0.365
SCC	32	50.00	15	44.12	17	56.67
ADC	27	42.19	15	44.12	12	40.00
SCA	5	7.81	4	11.76	1	3.33
TNM Stage							14.337	<0.001^*
I+II	19	29.69	17	50.00	2	6.67
III + IV	45	70.31	17	50.00	28	93.33
Chemotherapy							0.058	0.810
Yes	52	81.25	28	82.35	24	80.00
No	12	18.75	6	17.65	6	20.00
Surgical Operation							0.017	0.897
Yes	4	6.25	2	5.88	2	6.67
No	60	93.75	32	94.12	28	93.33
Smoking							4.205	0.040^*
Yes	43	67.19	19	55.88	24	80.00
No	21	32.81	15	44.12	6	20.00
ECOG							2.824	0.093
≤ 1	41	64.06	25	73.53	16	53.33
>1	23	35.94	9	26.47	14	46.67
Tumor Size (cm)							4.916	0.027^*
≤ 4	35	54.69	23	67.65	12	40.00
>4	29	45.31	11	32.35	18	60.00
CEA (ng/ml)							0.465	0.496
≤ 5	37	57.81	21	61.76	16	53.33
>5	27	42.19	13	38.24	14	46.67
NSE (ng/ml)							0.026	0.872
≤ 20	58	90.63	31	91.18	27	90.00
> 20	6	9.38	3	8.82	3	10.00
SCCA (ng/ml)							0.111	0.739
≤ 1.5	27	42.19	15	44.12	12	40.00
> 1.5	37	57.81	19	55.88	18	60.00

Notes:^*P < 0.05.
Abbreviations: CTCs, circulating tumor cells; SCC, squamous cell carcinoma; ADC, adenocarcinoma; SCA, small cell cancer. (SCC); ECOG, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group

ISSN: 1471-2407