BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) detection in advanced breast cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We tested 80 patients for CTC levels before starting a new treatment and after 4, 8 weeks, at the first clinical evaluation and every 2 months thereafter. CTCs were detected using the CellSearch System. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients had >or=5 CTCs at baseline. At the multivariate analysis, baseline number of CTCs was significantly associated with progression-free survival [hazard ratio (HR) 2.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-5.4]. The risk of progression for patients with CTCs >or=5 at last available blood draw was five times the risk of patients with 0-4 CTCs at the same time point (HR 5.3; 95% CI 2.8-10.4). Patients with rising or persistent >or=5 CTCs at last available blood draw showed a statistically significant higher risk of progression with respect to patients with <5 CTCs at both blood draws (HR 6.4; 95% CI 2.8-14.6). CONCLUSION: CTCs basal value is a predictive indicator of prognosis and changes in CTC levels during therapy may indicate a clinical response. Testing CTC levels during targeted treatments might substitute other measurement parameters for response evaluation.
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) detection in advanced breast cancerpatients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We tested 80 patients for CTC levels before starting a new treatment and after 4, 8 weeks, at the first clinical evaluation and every 2 months thereafter. CTCs were detected using the CellSearch System. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients had >or=5 CTCs at baseline. At the multivariate analysis, baseline number of CTCs was significantly associated with progression-free survival [hazard ratio (HR) 2.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-5.4]. The risk of progression for patients with CTCs >or=5 at last available blood draw was five times the risk of patients with 0-4 CTCs at the same time point (HR 5.3; 95% CI 2.8-10.4). Patients with rising or persistent >or=5 CTCs at last available blood draw showed a statistically significant higher risk of progression with respect to patients with <5 CTCs at both blood draws (HR 6.4; 95% CI 2.8-14.6). CONCLUSION: CTCs basal value is a predictive indicator of prognosis and changes in CTC levels during therapy may indicate a clinical response. Testing CTC levels during targeted treatments might substitute other measurement parameters for response evaluation.
Authors: R Ramos-Medina; F Moreno; S Lopez-Tarruella; M Del Monte-Millán; I Márquez-Rodas; E Durán; Y Jerez; J A Garcia-Saenz; I Ocaña; S Andrés; T Massarrah; M González-Rivera; M Martin Journal: Clin Transl Oncol Date: 2015-12-08 Impact factor: 3.405
Authors: George Somlo; Sean K Lau; Paul Frankel; H Ben Hsieh; Xiaohe Liu; Lixin Yang; Robert Krivacic; Richard H Bruce Journal: Breast Cancer Res Treat Date: 2011-04-16 Impact factor: 4.872
Authors: M Banys-Paluchowski; H Schneck; C Blassl; S Schultz; F Meier-Stiegen; D Niederacher; N Krawczyk; E Ruckhaeberle; T Fehm; H Neubauer Journal: Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd Date: 2015-03 Impact factor: 2.915