title: CTCs in early breast cancer: A path worth taking.
abstract: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cellular elements of undeniable significance that spread from the tumor mass into the peripheral blood and constitute one of the main vehicles for disease diffusion. Their rarity, in addition to a number of molecular and cellular features, has severely impaired research and exploitation. CTCs have been evaluated in early breast cancer (EBC), although long from being fully accepted in this field also due to a lack of technical standardization. CTCs hold promise to be a powerful non-invasive real-time measurable biomarker in all disease stages. This hypothesis is particularly appealing in the adjuvant setting of breast cancer, as it still lacks a marker that could play a central role in monitoring disease-free intervals, predicting early relapse and guiding drug selection. This review aimed to discuss CTC characteristics and show the main results of CTC-research in EBC setting, stating the urgency to continue basic and translational research in this field to definitely translate this marker from bench to bedside.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, FC, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maltoni
authors.affiliation: Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, FC, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gallerani
authors.affiliation: Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, FC, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fici
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, FC, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rocca
authors.affiliation: Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, FC, Italy. Electronic address: francesco.fabbri@irst.emr.it.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fabbri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001706:Biopsy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Circulating tumor cells; Clinical evidence; Early breast cancer; Liquid biopsy