Detection, characterization and tumorigenicity of disseminated tumor cells in human bone marrow

Monoclonal antibodies have been used to detect tumor cells in bone marrow of patients with neuroblastoma, breast cancer, small cell lung cancer, prostatic cancer and gastrointestinal carcinoma. By comparative analysis immunocytology proved to be more sensitive than conventional cytology and histology and had the additional advantage of specificity. A positive correlation exists between the presence of tumor cells in bone marrow and the extent of the primary tumor. The proliferative potential of the micrometastatic cells was assessed by characterization of EGF and transferrin receptors, tumorigenicity was shown by xenotransplantation experiments in nu/nu mice in a few instances. First follow-up studies indicate that the presence of disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow can be taken as predicting the subsequent development of overt metastasis.