OA: Potential Role of Circulating Tumor Cell Detection and Monitoring in Breast Cancer: A Review of Current Evidence

OA: Potential Role of Circulating Tumor Cell Detection and Monitoring in Breast Cancer: A Review of Current Evidence | Molecular and Cellular Oncology
 

Conclusion

Evaluation of CTCs is one of the most promising biomarkers in solid tumors. In BC, presence of CTCs is an independent predictor of poor clinical outcome in both early and metastatic setting. Numerous potential clinical applications have been proposed and are currently being investigated (Table 5). In case of early BC, the assessment of therapeutic targets is so far restricted to the primary tumor despite increasing evidence of significant discordances between primary tumor and MRD, especially with respect to hormone receptor and HER2 status. Since CTCs might reflect certain, hypothetically most aggressive, subpopulations of the tumor, molecular analysis of these cells and detection of their persistence might identify patients in need of additional or targeted treatment.