Usefulness of CTC and DTC-BM Detection for Adjuvant Therapy Effects and Prognosis Prediction in Early Breast Carcinoma: Results of 8-11 Years of Follow-up Evaluation.

Abstract

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) reportedly have been detected in the peripheral blood of more than 50% of breast carcinoma cases with distant metastases. Moreover, the survival period is shorter for patients who had more than five CTCs after a single chemotherapy treatment. However, a few data show the relationships between CTCs and expressions of disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow (DTCs-BM), including treatment effects and prognoses in early breast carcinomas.