Association between circulating tumor cells and peripheral blood monocytes in metastatic breast cancer.

ABSTRACT: Background:We retrospectively evaluated the correlation between a baseline measurement of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and inflammation-based scores in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Methods:The optimal value of inflammation-based scores as the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) to predict survival was determined and compared with CTC <5 or ?5?per 7.5?ml of blood. Results:In the overall population of 516 women with MBC, CTCs correlated with peripheral blood monocytes (p?=?0.008) and neutrophils (p?=?0.038). In triple-negative tumors, CTCs correlated with monocyte count (p?=?0.009); in HER2+ tumors, CTCs correlated with neutrophil count (p?=?0.009), with a trend versus monocyte count (p?=?0.061), whereas no correlation was found in HER2- estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) tumors. In multivariate analysis only monocytes were associated with ?5 CTCs (OR?=?2.72, 95% CI 1.09-6.80, p?=?0.033). In multivariable analysis for predictors of overall survival, CTC (?5 versus <5), number of metastatic sites (>1 versus 1), tumor subtypes (triple-negative versus HER2- ER+ tumors) and MLR only remained significant. Conclusions:CTC and MLR are predictors of overall survival in MBC. CTC correlates with monocytes, in particular in triple-negative tumors.

SUBMITTER: De Giorgi U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6696837 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature