Vimentin expression in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) associated with liver metastases predicts poor progression-free survival in patients with advanced lung cancer.

This study demonstrates an important morphologic, karyotypic and phenotypic CTCs heterogeneity in advanced lung cancer patients. The majority of Vim+ CTCs are in small size and Chr8 aneuploidy. Baseline presence of Vim+ CTCs is correlated with liver metastases and may help predict poor PFS.