ELENA THEMISTOKLI

Ms. ELENA THEMISTOKLI


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

1Year (2026-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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28 May 2026 in Cancers
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
ANAliki Ntzifa
Aliki Ntzifa
ETELENA THEMISTOKLI
ELENA THEMISTOKLI
ASAreti Strati
Areti Strati
MZMartha Zavridou
Martha Zavridou
ETEmilia Tsaroucha
Emilia Tsaroucha
Evi S. LianidouEvi S. Lianidou
Evi S. Lianidou
Background: AXL, a tyrosine kinase receptor, is involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell survival, invasion, metastasis, and resistance to EGFR-TKIs and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Recent clinical studies have shown promising results in NSCLC patients treated with AXL inhibitors. Methods: We evaluated AXL-mRNA overexpression in CTC fractions of NSCLC patients under osimertinib treatment (Group A, n = 39), (collected in the context of a multicenter Phase II clinical study (ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT02771314) or immunotherapy (Group B, n = 116) at different time points collected in the context of a prospective, multicenter study (ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT04490564). Size-based CTC enrichment (Parsortix, CelLBx Health, Guildford, UK) was used, and AXL-mRNA overexpression was evaluated using RT-qPCR. Results: In Group A, AXL-mRNA overexpression in CTC fractions was detected in 5/39 (12.8%) patients’ samples at baseline, in 5/31 (16.1%) after one cycle of treatment, in 7/79 (8.9%) during treatment and in 4/32 (12.5%) at progression of disease (PD). In Group B, AXL-mRNA overexpression in CTC fractions was detected in 8/116 (6.9%) samples before immunotherapy, in 8/71 (11.3%) after three or four cycles, while no AXL transcripts were detected at PD. Conclusions: Our results indicate that AXL-mRNA overexpression in CTC fractions deserve to be further evaluated through larger clinical studies as a potential biomarker for anti-AXL targeted therapies in NSCLC.