Schindlbeck C, Andergassen U, Jueckstock J, Rack B, Janni W, Jeschke U
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Klinikum Traunstein, Cuno-Niggl-Str. 3, 83278, Traunstein, Germany.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Campus Innenstadt, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Maistr. 11, 80337, Munich, Germany.
J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2016 Sep;142(9):1883-95. doi: 10.1007/s00432-016-2118-3. Epub 2016 Jan 29.
From the early days of pathology back in the nineteenth century until now, there has been an ongoing search for the missing link between solid tumors such as breast cancer and distant metastases, which sometimes occur many years after removal of the primary tumor. The "seed and soil" theory hypothesizes the early dissemination of occult tumor cells into blood or bone marrow, which can persist in a dormant state for a long time and then become precursors of metastases in distant organs which offer appropriate conditions.
Advances in immunocytochemical methods have enabled the enrichment and visualization of those disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow (DTC-BM) or circulating tumor cells (CTC) in blood. Many studies could demonstrate prognostic significance of the detection of DTC-BM or CTC in different stages of breast cancer.
Further characterization of those cells by immunocytochemical stainings, fluorescence in situ hybridizations, or PCR-based molecular methods will help to understand the biology of tumor cell dissemination and metastasis formation, as well as to define potential drug targets.
从19世纪病理学发展初期至今，人们一直在探寻实体肿瘤（如乳腺癌）与远处转移之间缺失的环节，远处转移有时会在原发肿瘤切除多年后发生。“种子与土壤”理论假定隐匿性肿瘤细胞早期播散至血液或骨髓中，这些细胞可长期处于休眠状态，然后在提供适宜条件的远处器官中成为转移灶的前体。
免疫细胞化学方法的进展使得骨髓中播散肿瘤细胞（DTC-BM）或血液中循环肿瘤细胞（CTC）得以富集并可视化。许多研究能够证明在乳腺癌不同阶段检测DTC-BM或CTC的预后意义。
通过免疫细胞化学染色、荧光原位杂交或基于PCR的分子方法对这些细胞进行进一步表征，将有助于理解肿瘤细胞播散和转移形成的生物学机制，以及确定潜在的药物靶点。
