Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Observational
Official Title:
Brief Summary: To address the challenges of isolating and analyzing rare cells, this study aims to validate technical diagnostic instrumentation, tests, protocols and analysis to correlate the number of circulating tumor cells present in whole blood for predicting cancer prognosis and treatment efficacy. Investigators propose to enroll and follow cohorts of cancer patients. Blood samples will be collected from these patients at regular intervals as determined by their doctors. The patient's disease progression will be monitored over the lifetime of this study. The specific aims are to isolate, enumerate and analyze the number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patient blood using chip-based sorting, filtration and imaging techniques. Investigators will also use this study to optimize diagnostic instrumentation, test protocols and downstream CTC analysis. Investigators may also correlate the results of these tests with the prognosis of the patients as well as any clinical evidence (e.g. from radiological imaging scans). While investigators focus on prognosis in this study, these correlated tests potentially may also be valuable in future studies for early diagnosis and monitoring of cancer.