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. 2020 Nov;80(11):1093-1104.
doi: 10.1055/a-1124-7225. Epub 2020 Nov 6.

Liquid Biopsy in Breast Cancer

Maggie Banys-Paluchowski  1 , Natalia Krawczyk  2 , Tanja Fehm  2
Affiliations

Liquid Biopsy in Breast Cancer

Maggie Banys-Paluchowski et al. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. 2020 Nov.

Abstract

In recent years, the blood-based analysis of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and nucleic acids (DNA/RNA), otherwise known as liquid biopsy, has become increasingly important in breast cancer. Numerous trials have already underscored the high prognostic significance of CTC detection in both early and metastatic stages. Moreover, the changes in CTC levels and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) during the course of the disease correlate with the response to treatment. Research currently focuses on liquid-biopsy based therapeutic interventions in metastatic breast cancer. In this context, alpelisib, a PI3K inhibitor, was the first agent to be approved by FDA and EMA.

Keywords: breast cancer; circulating tumour DNA; circulating tumour cell; liquid biopsy; targeted therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest/Interessenkonflikt The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest./Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Detection of isolated tumour cells by various techniques: a  Apoptotic tumour cell stained by immunocytochemistry (M30 antibody [AK]); b  Vital tumour cell stained by immunocytochemistry (anti-cytokeratin [CK]-AK); c  Immunofluorescence, double staining (anti-CK-AK: green, anti-oestrogen receptor-AK: red); d  Immunofluorescence-stained tumour cell cluster (anti-CK-AK).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Trial algorithm in the DETECT programme.
Abb. 1
Abb. 1
Nachweis von isolierten Tumorzellen über verschiedene Detektionsverfahren: a  Immunzytochemisch gefärbte apoptotische Tumorzelle (M30-Antikörper [AK]); b  Immunzytochemisch gefärbte vitale Tumorzelle (Anti-Zytokeratin [CK]-AK); c  Immunfluoreszenz, Doppelfärbung (Anti-CK-AK: grün, Anti-Östrogenrezeptor-AK: rot); d  Immunfluoreszent gefärbtes Tumorzell-Cluster (Anti-CK-AK).
Abb. 2
Abb. 2
Studienalgorithmus im DETECT-Programm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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