Isolation of circulating epithelial and tumor progenitor cells with an invasive phenotype from breast cancer patients.

ABSTRACT: Recent research advances show that tumor cell intravasation (entry into the circulation) and metastasis occur very early in breast cancer progression. Clinical studies also illustrate the potential importance of detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in outcomes of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Whether these cells exhibit the invasiveness and express tumor stem or progenitor markers, hallmark of the metastatic phenotype, is less well characterized. To detect CTCs with the invasive phenotype and to explore their molecular features, we applied a functional cell separation method, called collagen adhesion matrix (CAM) assay, as enrichment and identification steps. The CAM-coated device successfully recovered tumor cells spiked in 1 ml of blood with a 54% +/- 9% (n = 18) recover

SUBMITTER: Lu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2795034 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature