ASTRA Study: Circulating Tumor Cells in Blood of Patients With High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

High-grade serous ovarian cancer is typically diagnosed at an advanced stage and remains associated with poor long-term survival. Reliable biomarkers for predicting disease course and treatment response are still limited. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are malignant cells that detach from the primary tumor and enter the bloodstream. Their presence has been associated with disease progression and prognosis in several malignancies, including ovarian cancer. However, data on the morphological characteristics, immunophenotype, and clinical relevance of CTCs in high-grade serous ovarian cancer remain limited. The ASTRA study evaluates the number and characteristics of circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood samples obtained from patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer. The study examines CTC count, presence of CTC clusters and megakaryocytes, and immunophenotypic marker expression, and explores associations between CTC findings and clinical parameters and outcomes. Results from this study may contribute to improved understanding of circulating tumor cells in ovarian cancer and support the development of liquid biopsy approaches for prognostic assessment and disease monitoring.