The significant prognostic value of circulating tumor cells in triple-negative breast cancer: a meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The clinical validity of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is still controversial in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was performed to identify relevant articles in the PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Embase databases through September 2015. The outcomes of interest were disease progression and overall survival. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were considered the effect indicators and were pooled in meta-analyses under a fixed- or random-effect model according to heterogeneity.

Results

Ten of the eligible studies were included for a total of 642 enrolled TNBC patients. Overall analyses revealed that the presence of CTCs predicted aggressive disease progression (HR = 2.

SUBMITTER: Lu YJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5095082 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature