[Correlation of peripheral blood micrometastasis to distant metastasis of breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
Breast cancer, a whole body disease, can metastasize at early stage. This study was to explore the correlation of peripheral blood cancer cell (PBCC) content to distant metastasis of breast cancer.


METHODS
The PBCC content of 65 breast cancer patients and 8 healthy donors was detected by multi-parameter flow cytometry (FCM) with CD45 and cytokeratin staining.


RESULTS
Cancer cells were detected in peripheral blood samples from 57 of the 65 patients; the positive rate was 87.7%. No cancer cell was found in peripheral blood samples from healthy donors. The positive rate of PBCCs was correlated to T stage (r=0.271,P=0.017) and N stage (r=0.393, P=0.002). The patients were followed for 5 years; 2 were lost. Distant metastasis was found in 25 patients with PBCCs. In contrast, no metastasis was found in 8 patients without PBCCs (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative PBCC content is closely related to distant metastasis of breast cancer. The detection of PBCCs might be useful for individual treatment decision for breast cancer.
Gao
Ji-Dong
JD
Department of Abdominal Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, PR China.
Wang
Jun
J
Zhang
Bao-Ning
BN
Wang
Xiang
X
Liang
Jian-Ming
JM
Wang
Jing
J
Bi
Xiao-Feng
XF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005350:Fibroma / Q000097:blood; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000097:blood; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000097:blood; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D007633:Keratins; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens