Flow cytometry method in diagnostics of disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow in breast cancer patients

Cytological, histologycal as well as immunocytological – by means of flow cytometry method, using monoclonal antibodies EpCAM (CD326) – bone marrow study was done in 38 patients with breast cancer. Standard cytological examination revealed bone marrow involvement in 1 case (2,6 %). Histologycal examination revealed bone marrow involvement in 2 of 38 cases (5,2 %). Flow cytometry method confirmed bone marrow involvement in both cases and significantly increased the rate of micrometastases and disseminated tumor cells detection. If to consider positive result in case when one or more single cells with panepithelial markers were found in 1 mln. of myelokaryocytes, the number of such patients were 8 (21,0 %) of 38. Immunological study of bone marrow can be recommended to introduction in clinical practice, especially in early stages of breast cancer patients for optimization of treatment.