Comparative evaluation of cell-free tumor DNA in blood and disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow of patients with primary breast cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The origin and clinical relevance of circulating cell-free tumor DNA in the blood of cancer patients is still unclear. Here we investigated whether the detection of this DNA is related to bone marrow (BM) micrometastasis and tumor recurrence in breast cancer patients.

Methods

BM aspirates of 81 primary breast cancer patients were analyzed for the presence of disseminated tumor cells (DTC) by immunocytochemistry using the pan-cytokeratin antibody A45-B/B3. PCR-based fluorescence microsatellite analysis was performed for detection of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at 6 polymorphic markers using cell-free serum DNA. The data were correlated with established risk factors, and patients were followed-up over 6-10 years.

Results

LOH was detected in 33.5% of blood

SUBMITTER: Schwarzenbach H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2790848 | biostudies-literature | 2009

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature