Abstract:Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) are responsible for the development of metastatic disease, and may also hold the key to determining tailored therapies of advanced cancer disease. Our review summarizes the prognostic significance of the detection of CTCs and DTCs in various gastrointestinal cancers with an overview of their possible use as prognostic biomarkers. This could be used in the future as a starting point for new clinical trials focusing on the predictive potential of circulating and disseminated tumor cells. (Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 2013, Vol. 51, No. 4, 265-277) Key words: circulating tumor cells; gastrointestinal cancer; esophageal cancer; colorectal cancer; gastric cancer; plastin3; prognosis Abbreviations AFP -alpha fetoprotein; BM -bone marrow; CD -cluster of differentiation; CEA -carcinoembryonic antigen; CHT -chemotherapy; CI -confidence interval; CTC -circulating tumor cell; CRCcolorectal carcinoma; CVB -central venous blood; CK -cytokeratin; DAPI -4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; DFS -disease free survival; DTC -disseminated tumor cell; EpCAM -epithelial cell adhesion molecule; FISH -fluorescent in situ hybridization; 5-FU -5-fluorouracil; HCC -hepatocellular carcinoma; HR -hazard ratio; ISET -isolation by size of epithelial tumor; ITC -isolated tumor cells; MACS -magnetic activated cell sorting; MFS -metastasis free survival; MSP -methylation specific polymerase chain reaction; MVB -mesenteric venous blood; NA -not available; OS -overall survival; PB -peripheral blood; PFS -progression-free survival; qPCR -quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; RFA -radiofrequency ablation; RT -radiotherapy; RT-PCR -reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; TGFb1 -transforming growth factor b1; TRC method -transcription reverse-transcription concerted method