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Review: circulating tumor cells in the practice of breast cancer oncology

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Abstract

The primary cause of tumor-related death in breast cancer is still represented by distant metastasization. The dissemination of tumor cells from the primary tumor to distant sites through bloodstream cannot be early detected by standard imaging methods. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a major role in the metastatic spread of breast cancer. Different analytical systems for CTCs isolation and detection have been developed and novel areas of research are directed towards developing assays for CTCs molecular characterization. This review describes the current state of art on CTCs detection techniques and the present and future clinical implications of CTCs enumeration and characterization.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by funds from FEDER (RTICC-RD12/0036/0076 and RD12/0036/0006).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Dr. Esquerdo 46, 28007, Madrid, Spain

      R. Ramos-Medina, E. Durán, I. Ocaña, S. Andrés, M. González-Rivera & M. Martin

    2. Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain

      F. Moreno & J. A. Garcia-Saenz

    3. Medical Oncology Service, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain

      S. Lopez-Tarruella, M. del Monte-Millán, I. Márquez-Rodas, Y. Jerez & M. Martin

    4. Clinical Research Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

      T. Massarrah

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    1. R. Ramos-Medina
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    R. Ramos-Medina and F. Moreno have contributed equally to this work and should be considered as first authors as equal.

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    Ramos-Medina, R., Moreno, F., Lopez-Tarruella, S. et al. Review: circulating tumor cells in the practice of breast cancer oncology. Clin Transl Oncol 18, 749–759 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-015-1460-2

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-015-1460-2

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