The Evolving Role of Circulating Tumor Cells in the Personalized Management of Breast Cancer: from Enumeration to Molecular Characterization.

ABSTRACT: Circulating Tumor cells (CTCs) represent tumor cells in the blood stream dislodged from the primary tumor. The presence of CTCs in the bloodstream provides a unique opportunity to sample cancer tissue by means of a relatively less-invasive "liquid biopsy." Over the past decade, there has been a tremendous increase in the amount of research examining the potential clinical utility of CTCs in the management of cancer. A number of techniques to refine the sensitivity and range of CTC assays are also in development. In this article, we review the recent developments in the current and potential clinical applications of CTCs in breast cancer. CTC enumeration already has an established role as a prognostic biomarker in metastatic breast cancer, while molecular characterization of CTCs can serve

SUBMITTER: Sarangi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4242094 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature