Circulating Tumour Cells in Blood of Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Dieter Peeters, Gert G. Van den Eynden, P. J. van Dam, A. Prové, I. H. Benoy, P. A. van Dam, P. B. Vermeulen, P. Pauwels, M. Peeters, S. J. Van Laere, L. Y. Dirix
Primary Institution: Translational Cancer Research Group, Laboratory of Pathology, Antwerp University/Oncology Centre, GZA Hospitals St-Augustinus, Antwerp, Belgium
Hypothesis
Are there differences in the number of circulating tumour cells (CTC) in central versus peripheral venous blood in patients with metastatic breast cancer?
Conclusion
There is a significant difference in the number of circulating tumour cells between central and peripheral venous blood in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Supporting Evidence
- The median number of CTC was significantly higher in central venous blood compared to peripheral venous blood.
- CTC counts were strongly correlated between central and peripheral blood samples.
- 12 out of 26 patients had significantly higher CTC counts in central blood than in peripheral blood.
Takeaway
Doctors found more cancer cells in the central blood than in the blood from the arm in breast cancer patients, which could help in understanding how cancer spreads.
Methodology
CTC were isolated and counted from 7.5 ml of central and peripheral venous blood using the CellSearch System.
Potential Biases
The patient population was heterogeneous, which may affect the interpretation of CTC counts.
Limitations
The study included patients with various lines of treatment, making it difficult to generalize findings about CTC behavior.
Participant Demographics
Median age of participants was 62 years, with a range of 40 to 85 years; most had diffuse metastatic involvement.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.001
Statistical Significance
p=0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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