Challenges in enumeration of CTCs in breast cancer using techniques independent of cytokeratin expression.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Given the current postulated plasticity between epithelial and mesenchymal states of migratory cancer cells the detection of non-epithelial CTCs is an important scientific and clinical goal.

Methods

We used the filtration-based ISET technology to enrich circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in early breast cancer blood samples and identify them using a morphology-based immunocytochemistry (ICC) approach.

Results

We found greater numbers of putative CTCs by this approach than by the cytokeratin-based CellSearch technology, but a high number of CTC false positives were identified in healthy volunteer samples which were not reduced in successive blood draws. Preliminary work using an oestrogen receptor (ER)-based multiplex ICC method in metastatic breast cancer IS

SUBMITTER: Castle J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5397021 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature