title: MUC1-positive circulating tumor cells and MUC1 protein predict chemotherapeutic efficacy in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: Chemotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. It is important to monitor chemotherapeutic efficacy, to find a simple and efficient tool to guide treatment, and to predict the efficacy of treatment in a timely and accurate manner. This study aimed to detect mucin-1 (MUC1)-positive circulating tumor cells and MUC1 protein in the peripheral blood of patients with metastatic breast cancer and to investigate their relationship to chemotherapeutic efficacy. MUC1 mRNA was detected in the peripheral blood of 34 patients with newly diagnosed metastatic breast cancer by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The positive rates of MUC1 mRNA were 88.2% before chemotherapy and 70.6% after chemotherapy, without a significant difference (P=0.564); MUC1 mRNA expression before chemotherapy had no correlation with treatment effectiveness (P=0.281). The response rate of MUC1 mRNA-negative patients after first-cycle chemotherapy was significantly higher (P=0.009) and the progression-free survival (PFS) was clearly longer than those of MUC1 mRNA-positive patients (P=0.095). MUC1 protein in peripheral blood plasma was detected by an ELISA competitive inhibition assay. The patients with decreased MUC1 protein after chemotherapy had a significantly longer PFS than those with elevated MUC1 protein (P=0.044). These results indicate that the outcomes of MUC1 mRNA-negative patients after chemotherapy are better than those of MUC1 mRNA-positive patients. In addition, patients with decreased expression of MUC1 protein have a better PFS.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research, Ministry of Education, Peking University School of Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, PR China.
authors.forename: Jian-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Xiang-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yuan-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yan-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013852:Thiotepa / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: C060192:MUC1 protein, human; D018396:Mucin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D013852:Thiotepa