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01-06-2009 | Clinical Trial

Molecular profiling and predictive value of circulating tumor cells in patients with metastatic breast cancer: an option for monitoring response to breast cancer related therapies

Authors: Mitra Tewes, Bahriye Aktas, Anja Welt, Siemke Mueller, Siegfried Hauch, Rainer Kimmig, Sabine Kasimir-Bauer

Published in: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment | Issue 3/2009

Abstract

Purpose We analyzed circulating tumor cells (CTC) in blood of metastatic breast cancer patients (n = 42) and determined the ability of this method to predict therapy response. Methods CTC from blood were analyzed before and during therapy for EpCAM, MUC1 and HER2 transcripts with the AdnaTest BreastCancer. The estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptor expression was assessed by RT-PCR. Results The overall detection rate for CTC was 52% (thereof 86% EpCAM; 86% MUC1; 32% HER2; 35% ER; 12% PR). CTC were ER, PR and HER2 negative in 45% (ER), 78% (PR) and 60% (HER-2) of patients with steroid receptor-positive tumors. 29% of patients with HER2-negative tumors had HER2-positive CTC. The test predicted therapy response in 78% of all cases. Persistence of CTC significantly correlated with shorter overall survival (P = 0.005). Conclusions Molecular profiling of CTC may offer superior prognostic information with regard to risk assessment for recurrence and predictive judgement of therapeutical regimens.

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Title: Molecular profiling and predictive value of circulating tumor cells in patients with metastatic breast cancer: an option for monitoring response to breast cancer related therapies
Authors: Mitra Tewes
Bahriye Aktas
Anja Welt
Siemke Mueller
Siegfried Hauch
Rainer Kimmig
Sabine Kasimir-Bauer
Publication date: 01-06-2009
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment / Issue 3/2009
Print ISSN: 0167-6806
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7217
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-008-0143-x

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