title: Circulating tumour cell detection: a direct comparison between the CellSearch System, the AdnaTest and CK-19/mammaglobin RT-PCR in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The detection, enumeration and isolation of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) have considerable potential to influence the clinical management of patients with breast cancer. There is, however, substantial variability in the rates of positive samples using existing detection techniques. The lack of standardisation of technology hampers the implementation of CTC measurement in clinical routine practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was designed to directly compare three techniques for detecting CTCs in blood samples taken from 76 patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and from 20 healthy controls: the CellSearch CTC System, the AdnaTest Breast Cancer Select/Detect and a previously developed real-time qRT-PCR assay for the detection of CK-19 and mammaglobin transcripts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As a result, 36% of patients with MBC were positive by the CellSearch System, 22% by the AdnaTest, 26% using RT-PCR for CK-19 and 54% using RT-PCR for mammaglobin. Samples were significantly more likely to be positive for at least one mRNA marker using RT-PCR than using the CellSearch System (P=0.001) or the AdnaTest (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed a substantial variation in the detection rates of CTCs in blood from breast cancer patients using three different techniques. A higher rate of positive samples was observed using a combined qRT-PCR approach for CK-19 and mammaglobin, which suggests that this is currently the most sensitive technique for detecting CTCs.
authors: Translational Cancer Research Group (Laboratory of Pathology, University of Antwerp/University Hospital Antwerp, Oncology Centre, General Hospital Sint-Augustinus), Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Van der Auwera
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Peeters
authors: I H
authors: IH
authors: Benoy
authors: H J
authors: HJ
authors: Elst
authors: S J
authors: SJ
authors: Van Laere
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Prové
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Maes
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Huget
authors: P
authors: P
authors: van Dam
authors: P B
authors: PB
authors: Vermeulen
authors: L Y
authors: LY
authors: Dirix
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor