title: Circulating tumour cells in the central and the peripheral venous compartment in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The enumeration of circulating tumour cells (CTC) has prognostic significance in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and monitoring of CTC levels over time has considerable potential to guide treatment decisions. However, little is known on CTC kinetics in the human bloodstream.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we compared the number of CTC in both 7.5 ml central venous blood (CVB) and 7.5 ml peripheral venous blood (PVB) from 30 patients with MBC starting with a new line of chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of CTC was found to be significantly higher in CVB (median: 43.5; range: 0-4036) than in PVB (median: 33; range: 0-4013) (P=0.001). When analysing samples pairwise, CTC counts were found to be significantly higher in CVB than in PVB in 12 out of 26 patients with detectable CTC. In contrast, only 2 out of 26 patients had higher CTC counts in PVB as compared with CVB, whereas in 12 remaining patients no significant difference was seen. The pattern of CTC distribution was independent of the sites of metastatic involvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A substantial difference in the number of CTC was observed between CVB and PVB of patients with MBC. Registration of the site of blood collection is warranted in studies evaluating the role of CTC assessment in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Translational Cancer Research Group, Laboratory of Pathology, Antwerp University/Oncology Centre, GZA Hospitals St-Augustinus, Antwerp 2610, Belgium.
authors.forename: D J E
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Van den Eynden
authors.forename: P-J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: van Dam
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prové
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Benoy
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: van Dam
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Vermeulen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pauwels
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Van Laere
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Dirix
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000473:pathology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000473:pathology; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D014680:Veins