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Updated: Apr 17, 2026

Adaptation of Semiautomated Circulating Tumor Cell CTC Assays for Clinical and Preclinical Research Applications
Published on: February 28, 2014
Can circulating tumor cells predict resistance in metastatic breast cancer?
Aju Mathew1, Adam M Brufsky1, Nancy E Davidson2
1Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and UPMC CancerCenter, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Abstract:
Circulating tumor cell (CTC) enumeration provides prognostic but not predictive information for chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer. Because CTC measurement is reproducible and allows molecular profiling, an assay to assess endocrine resistance was developed. Whether this CTC-based assay can be used to reliably select endocrine therapy must be tested.
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