207_Combined course Presentations

Micrometastases outside the field

Limit for diagnosis

• Limit for detection of micro-deposits is ~10 8 -10 9 cells

• In solid tumours chemotherapy seldom achieves SF<10 -6

• Even metastatic deposits <0.1g may contain 10 7 -10 8 cells.

• If the majority of these are clonogenic, then standard CT may fail to control even small amounts of disseminated disease.