Detection of Epithelial Cells in Hematopoietic Organs of Patients with Breast Cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most frequent neoplastic disease in populations of developed countries. It will affect 1 of every 6 or 7 women during their lifetime. The disease eventually evolves to a metastatic stage, and currently appears to be not curable at that stage. Thus, understanding mechanisms that result in the establishment of tumor at sites distant from the primary location is of the utmost importance. Equally important is the definition of a metastatic state, especially in regard to the detection of micrometastases. Finally, the presence of circulating tumor cells in the peripheral blood of patients who undergo progenitor mobilization, collection and reinfusion may be of clinical significance in the setting of high-dose chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Mammaglobin Expression in Leukapheresis Products Is a Predictive Marker of Poor Prognosis in Women with High-Risk Breast Cancer

“…Mobilization of tumor cells together with hematopoietic progenitor cells into the PB of patients with solid tumors is possible after chemotherapy ϩ G-CSF or G-CSF alone and frequently occurs in PBPCC (13)(14)(15). Despite the limited data, there is some evidence of apheresis tumor contamination and its impact on prognosis (7,9,(11)(12)(13)(14).…”

“…Despite the limited data, there is some evidence of apheresis tumor contamination and its impact on prognosis (7,9,(11)(12)(13)(14). In particular, the presence of occult tumor cells in the graft has been shown to have a negative influence on prognosis when evaluated by immunocytochemistry for CK gene expression (35,36).…”

“…The extent of the disease and the sites of metastases seem to correlate with contamination of the hematopoietic support as well as with the number of tumor cells detected (13). Studies using clonogenic assay techniques have also shown that micrometastatic tumor cells maintain their viability and may be related to disease relapse, as demonstrated by gene marking experiments (15,16).…”

“…Patients who are affected by disseminated disease and who undergo high-dose chemotherapy will have approximately 20% to 25% of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mo-bilized PBPCC contaminated by tumor cells using routine procedures (11)(12)(13). Many others, even those with histologically negative BM, indeed have 10% to 15% of epithelial cells in the autologous BM or PB progenitor cells (PBPCs) used for transplantation (14,15).…”

Mammaglobin expression in leukapheresis products is a predictive marker of poor prognosis in women with high-risk breast cancer

“…Patients who are affected by disseminated disease and who undergo high-dose chemotherapy will have approximately 20% to 25% of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mo-bilized PBPCC contaminated by tumor cells using routine procedures (11)(12)(13). Many others, even those with histologically negative BM, indeed have 10% to 15% of epithelial cells in the autologous BM or PB progenitor cells (PBPCs) used for transplantation (14,15).…”