Circulating Tumor Cells Detected by RT-PCR for CK-20 before Surgery Indicate Worse Prognostic Impact in Triple-Negative and HER2 Subtype Breast Cancer

摘要

PurposeCirculating tumor cells (CTC) clearly correlate with unfavorable outcomes for patients with metastatic breast cancer, but the long-term prognostic implications of CTC for molecular subtypes of operable breast cancer are not yet known. We explored the relationships between previously established prognostic factors and CTC in operable breast cancer, and the significance of CTC by breast cancer molecular subtype.