Expression of BIRC5 and HER2-neu genes in circulating tumor cells in surgical treatment of breast cancer

The objective was to evaluate the clinical significance of the expression of BIRC5 and HER2-neu genes in circulating tumor cells as markers of minimal residual disease at the stage of surgical treatment of breast cancer.Methods: 162 patients with verified breast cancer of the I-IIIC stage aged 58.16±9.98 years took part in the study. All women underwent surgery in the amount of radical mastectomy Madden - 113 (69.8%) or radical resection - 49 (30.2%). All patients on the day of surgery and also on day 2 after the operation were examined for peripheral blood for the presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). For the identification of CTCs, expression of the BIRC5 and HER2-neu genes was studied using realtime PCR.Results: Positive mRNAs BIRC5 and HER2-neu CTCs before the surgery were detected in 115 women (71%). After the operation, CTCs disappeared in 47 (40.9%) patients, 59 (51.3%) CTCs were preserved, and in 9 (7.8%) CTCs were first identified in venous blood. After mastectomy the frequency of preservation of CTCs was significantly lower than after radical resection and was 46...