Gene expression of circulating tumour cells and its correlation with tumour stage in breast cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
Breast cancer (BC) represents one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths worldwide. New tools for diagnostic staging and therapeutic monitoring are needed to improve individualized therapies and improve clinical outcome. The analyses of circulating tumour cells may provide important prognostic information in the clinical setting.


METHODS
Circulating tumour cells (CTC) of 63 BC patients were isolated from peripheral blood (PB) through immunomagnetic separation. Subsequently, RT-PCR or mPCR for the genes ga733.2, muc-1, c-erbB2, mgb-1, spdef and c-erbB2 were performed. Subsequently, expression data were correlated with the tumour stages. Fourteen healthy individuals served as controls.


RESULTS
Significant correlations with tumour stages were found in single gene analyses of ga733.2, muc-1 and in multi-gene analyses of ga733.2/muc-1/mgb1/ spdef. Furthermore, a significant correlation of Ca 15-3 and all studied genes was also observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Herein, we demonstrated a positive correlation of a gene signature consisting of ga733.2, muc-1, mgb1 and spdef and advanced stages of BC. Moreover, all studied genes and gene patterns revealed a significant correlation with Ca 15-3 positive cases.
Bölke
E
E
Department of Radiation Therapy and Radiation Oncology, University of Düsseldorf, Hans-Günther-Sohl-Str. 12, 40235 Düsseldorf, Germany.
Orth
K
K
Gerber
P A
PA
Lammering
G
G
Mota
R
R
Peiper
M
M
Matuschek
C
C
Budach
W
W
Rusnak
E
E
Shaikh
S
S
Dogan
B
B
Prisack
H B
HB
Bojar
H
H
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger