biostudies-literatureFina EAssociazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul CancroFondazione Umberto VeronesiFondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro78https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8876758biostudies-literatureUnknown41(1)<h4>Background</h4>Progression to stage IV disease remains the main cause of breast cancer-related deaths. Increasing knowledge on the hematogenous phase of metastasis is key for exploiting the entire window of opportunity to interfere with early dissemination and to achieve a more effective disease control. Recent evidence suggests that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) possess diverse adaptive mechanisms to survive in blood and eventually metastasize, encouraging research into CTC-directed therapies.<h4>Methods</h4>On the hypothesis that the distinguishing molecular features of CTCs reveal useful information on metastasis biology and disease outcome, we compared the transcriptome of CTCs, primary tumors, lymph-node and lung metastases of the MDA-MB-231 xenograft model, and assessed the biolJournal of experimental & clinical cancer research : CRGene signatures of circulating breast cancer cell models are a source of novel molecular determinants of metastasis and improve circulating tumor cell detection in patients.PMC8876758IG 16900Fellowship 16411Postdoctoral fellowshipsCiniselli CMFina ELecchi MBianchi GVVerderio PDugo MCleris LDaidone MGCappelletti VLecis DfalseGene signatures of circulating breast cancer cell models are a source of novel molecular determinants of metastasis and improve circulating tumor cell detection in patients.<h4>Background</h4>Progression to stage IV disease remains the main cause of breast cancer-related deaths. Increasing knowledge on the hematogenous phase of metastasis is key for exploiting the entire window of opportunity to interfere with early dissemination and to achieve a more effective disease control. Recent evidence suggests that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) possess diverse adaptive mechanisms to survive in blood and eventually metastasize, encouraging research into CTC-directed therapies.<h4>Methods</h4>On the hypothesis that the distinguishing molecular features of CTCs reveal useful information on metastasis biology and disease outcome, we compared the transcriptome of CTCs, primary tumors, lymph-node and lung metastases of the MDA-MB-231 xenograft model, and assessed the biol2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Feb2026-04-08T17:21:32.859Z2025-04-04T23:29:46.378ZS-EPMC88767583521661510.1186/s13046-022-02259-8