title: [Detection of circulating tumor cells and its clinical value for different stages and various subtypes of breast cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the prognostic value of applying a semi-automated detection system for detecting circulating tumor cells (CTC) for different stages and various subtypes of breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunomagnetic separation and immunofluorescent staining were employed to detect the expressions of CTC and CTC HER-2. Chi-square test, univariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine the correlations between CTC and clinical characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CTC was detected in 57.5% (138/240) of metastatic breast cancer (MBC). CTC enumeration, HER-2 status, number of metastasis and bone metastasis were relevant (P < 0.05). CTC was detected in 23.1% (6/26) of early-stage breast cancer (EBC). CTC enumeration, pathological type, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), Ki-67, tumor size and lymph node metastasis were irrelevant (P > 0.05). HER-2-positive MBC detected less CTC than HER-2-negative (χ(2) = 12.296, P < 0.001) . CTC HER-2 expression was different between HER-2-positive and negative patients in 99 MBC cases (χ(2) = 8.082, P = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CTC enumeration is different for various stages and different subtypes of breast cancer. CTC enumeration and bone metastasis are relevant. CTC detection in EBC may predict tumor relapse. And CTC HER-2 expression is different between HER-2-positive and negative MBC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Cancer, Affiliated Hospital, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Cancer, Affiliated Hospital, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Cancer, Affiliated Hospital, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
authors.forename: Shaohua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Cancer, Affiliated Hospital, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Cancer, Affiliated Hospital, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Cancer, Affiliated Hospital, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
authors.forename: Shikai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Cancer, Affiliated Hospital, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
authors.forename: Santai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Cancer, Affiliated Hospital, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Cancer, Affiliated Hospital, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China. Email: jiangzf@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Zefei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D001859:Bone Neoplasms; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human