Circulating Tumor Cell Number Is Associated with Primary Tumor Volume in Patients with Lung Adenocarcinoma

Background: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are frequently detected in patients with advanced-stage malignant tumors and could act as a predictor of poor prognosis. However, there is a paucity of data on the relationship between CTC number and primary tumor volume in patients with lung cancer. Therefore, our study aimed to evaluate the relationship between CTC number and primary tumor volume in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: We collected blood samples from 21 patients with treatment-naive lung adenocarcinoma and 73 healthy individuals. To count CTCs, we used a CTC enrichment method based on fluid-assisted separation technology. We compared CTC numbers between lung adenocarcinoma patients and healthy individuals using propensity score matching, and performed linear regression analysis to analyze the relationship between CTC number and primary tumor volume in lung adenocarcinoma patients. Results: CTC positivity was significantly more common in lung adenocarcinoma patients than in healthy individuals (p