QUANTITATIVE RT-PCR DETECTION FOR GENES INVOLVED IN EPITHELIAL MESENCHYMAL TRANSITION IN PERIPHERAL BLOOD OF CANCER PATIENTS

摘要

An assay and associated methodologies for detection of breast cancer are described. Circulating tumor cells (“CTCs”) undergo epithelial mesenchymal transition (“EMT”) prior to entering circulation, resulting in the loss of epithelial markers. These CTCs and EMT-related gene transcripts in the peripheral blood of patients are tested by quantitative RT-PCR to detect and diagnose breast cancer.