Expected clinical applications of circulating tumor cells in breast cancer

Figure 1 Circulating tumor cell and metastatic process. EMT: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition; CTC: Circulating tumor cell; DTC: Disseminated tumor cell; MET: Mesenchymal-epithelial transition.

Figure 2 Identification of tumor cells and white blood cells using monoclonal antibodies. EpCAM: Epithelial-cell adhesion molecule; DAPI: 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole.

Figure 3 Measurement of circulating tumor cells by the CellSearch^® System. CTC: Circulating tumor cell; DAPI: 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; CK: Cytokeratins; PE: Phycoerythrin.

Figure 4 Kaplan-Meier estimates of probabilities of progression-free survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer who had less than 5 circulating tumor cells and those who had 5 or more circulating tumor cells (before initiation of a new line of therapy)[29]. CTC: Circulating tumor cell.

Figure 5 Kaplan-Meier estimates of probabilities of overall survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer who had less than 5 circulating tumor cells and those who had 5 or more circulating tumor cells (before initiation of a new line of therapy)[29]. CTC: Circulating tumor cell.

Figure 6 Kaplan-Meier estimates of probabilities of progression-free survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer who had less than 5 circulating tumor cells and those who had 5 or more circulating tumor cells (at the first follow-up visit after initiation of a new line of therapy)[29]. CTC: Circulating tumor cell.

Figure 7 Kaplan-Meier estimates of probabilities of overall survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer who had less than 5 circulating tumor cells and those who had 5 or more circulating tumor cells (at the first follow-up visit after initiation of a new line of therapy)[29]. CTC: Circulating tumor cell.

Figure 8 Study design of the Southwest Oncology Group Trial S0500. CTC: Circulating tumor cell.

Figure 9 Circulating tumor cell values at 8:00 AM and at 8:00 PM in the 51 assessable patients[36]. CTC: Circulating tumor cell.