Molecular detection of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers in circulating tumor cells from pancreatic cancer patients: Potential role in clinical practice

Figure 3 Correlation between circulating tumor cell-epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition subpopulations and clinicopathological characteristics. A: Distribution of circulating tumor cell (CTC) subpopulations in patients at different AJCC stages of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). B: Distribution of CTC subpopulations in patients with or without metastatic disease. C: White blood cell counts in patients without CTCs and positive for epithelial (E)-CTCs, mesenchymal (M)-CTCs, or E/M-CTCs. D: Neutrophil counts in patients without CTCs and positive for E-CTCs, M-CTCs, or E/M-CTCs. E: Lymphocyte counts in patients without CTCs and positive for E-CTCs, M-CTCs, or E/M-CTCs. F: Monocyte counts in patients without CTCs and positive for E-CTCs, M-CTCs, or E/M-CTCs. G: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients without CTCs and positive for E-CTCs, M-CTCs, or E/M-CTCs. ^bP < 0.01. CTC: Circulating tumor cells; E-CTC: Epithelial circulating tumor cells; M-CTC: Mesenchymal circulating tumor cells.