Dramatically elevated circulating tumor cell numbers in a patient with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the prostate.

Detection of circulating tumor cells in whole blood is a useful prognostic tool for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer, as well as for patients with metastatic breast cancer and colorectal carcinoma. In this report, we present the case of a patient with neuroendocrine small cell prostate cancer with normal prostate-specific antigen levels throughout the course of disease but who had markedly elevated circulating tumor cells, as detected with the CellSearch (Veridex) system.