The Distribution of Circulating Tumor Cells Is Different in Metastatic Lobular Compared to Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast-Long-Term Prognostic Significance.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) has distinguishing features when compared to invasive ductal carcinoma of no special type (NST). In this study, we explored the distributional and prognostic characteristics of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in metastatic ILC and NST.

Materials and methods

Patients were included in an observational trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01322893) with ILC (n = 28) and NST (n = 111). CTC count (number/7.5 mL blood) was evaluated with serial sampling (CellSearch). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

The CTC counts were higher in ILC (median 70) than in NST cases (median 2) at baseline (p < 0.001). The evidence for ≥5 CTCs as a prognostic factor for PFS in ILC was weak, but stronger with

SUBMITTER: Narbe U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7407940 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature