Blood test predicts breast Ca outcome.(Women's Health)

SAN ANTONIO -- An elevated circulating tumor cell count at any point during systemic therapy for metastatic breast cancer indicates a high likelihood of rapid disease progression and mortality from that time on, Daniel F. Hayes, M.D., said at a breast cancer symposium sponsored by the Cancer Therapy and Research Center.

This implies that circulating tumor cell count, as measured by a commercially available blood test, may have an important role in patient monitoring and treatment. A randomized prospective clinical trial is now underway to evaluate the impact of switching therapy in patients who develop an elevated circulating tumor cell (CTC) count during therapy, …