Circulating endothelial-cell kinetics and viability predict survival in breast cancer patients receiving metronomic chemotherapy.

ABSTRACT: Antiangiogenic agents and therapeutic strategies have entered the clinical oncology arena. The classical tumor size measurements defined to monitor efficacy of chemotherapy, however, might not be appropriate for these newer therapeutics. We previously found that circulating endothelial cells (CECs) were increased in number and more viable in cancer patients compared with control subjects. We investigated the correlation between CEC kinetics and clinical outcome in patients with advanced breast cancer receiving metronomic chemotherapy, a therapeutic strategy associated with antiangiogenic activity and anticancer efficacy. CEC number and viability were measured by flow cytometry in patients and in preclinical models. CECs were decreased in patients for whom no overall clinical benefit (defin

SUBMITTER: Mancuso P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1895485 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature