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Cellular Oncology
Published in: Cellular Oncology 1/2014

01-02-2014 | Review

Clinical application of circulating tumor cells in breast cancer

Authors: Leonie H. A. Broersen, Gabi W. van Pelt, Rob A. E. M. Tollenaar, Wilma E. Mesker

Published in: Cellular Oncology | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a major role in the metastatic spread of breast cancer. CTC detection has proven to be an important parameter for predicting progression free and overall survival. Collection of CTCs is minimally invasive and can be performed more often than disseminated tumor cell (DTC) collection from bone marrow, thus providing a real-time “liquid biopsy”. In this review, the most important techniques for enrichment and detection of CTCs are discussed for clinical application in low and higher staged breast cancer, as well as the genetic and molecular characterization of CTCs. For CTCs, the use of immunology-based enrichment techniques with multiple antibodies is recommended in a clinical setting, as well as the use of cytometric detection techniques, combined with RT-PCR for confirmation. Special attention is given to the value of cancer stem cell (CSC) activity, which may be the main cause of ineffectiveness of the control over metastatic lesions due to intratumor heterogeneity. Accumulating information on CSCs offers new paradigms to generate effective targets for the treatment of metastatic disease. Genetic and molecular characterization of CTCs has potential to stratify patients for optimal personalized treatment regimens. CTCs can be used for monitoring patients during treatment schedules.
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Metadata
Title
Clinical application of circulating tumor cells in breast cancer
Authors
Leonie H. A. Broersen
Gabi W. van Pelt
Rob A. E. M. Tollenaar
Wilma E. Mesker
Publication date
01-02-2014
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
Cellular Oncology / Issue 1/2014
Print ISSN: 2211-3428
Electronic ISSN: 2211-3436
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13402-013-0160-6

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