Heterogeneous atypical cell populations are present in blood of metastatic breast cancer patients.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are commonly isolated from the blood by targeting the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) through positive selection. However, EpCAM can be downregulated during metastatic progression, or it can be initially not present. We designed the present prospective trial to characterize CTCs as well as other circulating cell populations in blood samples from women with metastatic breast cancer without EpCAM-dependent enrichment and/or isolation technology.

Methods

A total of 32 patients with metastatic breast cancer were enrolled, and blood samples were processed using a previously described negative depletion immunomagnetic methodology. Samples from healthy volunteers were run as controls (n = 5). Multistep sequential labeling was pe

SUBMITTER: Lustberg MB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4053256 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature