Open Access

REVIEW

Circulating tumor cells and circulating tumor DNA in breast cancer diagnosis and monitoring

EFFAT ALEMZADEH¹, LEILA ALLAHQOLI², HAMIDEH DEHGHAN³, AFROOZ MAZIDIMORADI⁴, ALIREZA GHASEMPOUR³, HAMID SALEHINIYA^5,*

1 Infectious Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, 9717853577, Iran
2 Midwifery Department, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, 9413933336, Iran
3 Student Research Committee, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, 9717853577, Iran
4 Department of Health Assistant, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, 7134814336, Iran
5 Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, 32048321, Iran

* Corresponding Author: Hamid Salehiniya,

Oncology Research 2023, 31(5), 667-675. https://doi.org/10.32604/or.2023.028406

Received 16 December 2022; Accepted 19 May 2023; Issue published 21 July 2023

Abstract

Liquid biopsy, including both circulating tumor cells and circulating tumor DNA, is becoming more popular as a diagnostic tool in the clinical management of breast cancer. Elevated concentrations of these biomarkers during cancer treatment may be used as markers for cancer progression as well as to understand the mechanisms underlying metastasis and treatment resistance. Thus, these circulating markers serve as tools for cancer assessing and monitoring through a simple, non-invasive blood draw. However, despite several study results currently noting a potential clinical impact of ctDNA mutation tracking, the method is not used clinically in cancer diagnosis among patients and more studies are required to confirm it. This review focuses on understanding circulating tumor biomarkers, especially in breast cancer.

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Keywords

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