Molecular Detection of Cytokeratin-19–Positive Cells in the Peripheral Blood of Patients With Operable Breast Cancer: Evaluation of Their Prognostic Significance

Abstract

Molecular detection of CK-19 mRNA-positive cells by RT-PCR in the peripheral blood of patients with stages I and II breast cancer before initiation of adjuvant therapy has independent prognostic value as a marker of poor clinical outcome.