Persistence of Disseminated Tumor Cells in the Bone Marrow of Breast Cancer Patients Predicts Increased Risk for Relapse—A European Pooled Analysis

Abstract

Among breast cancer patients, persistent DTCs during follow-up significantly predicted the increased risk for subsequent relapse and death. Analysis of DTC might serve as a clinically useful monitoring tool and should be tested as an indicator for secondary adjuvant treatment intervention within clinical trials.