Can circulating tumor cells predict the outcomes of newly diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer?

This paper studied whether or not circulating tumor cells could predict outcomes for patients with inflammatory breast cancer. 

Inflammatory breast cancer refers to breast cancer where cancer cells have blocked the lymph vessels (vessels containing lymph, a colorless liquid that transports the body's immune celle), leading to a red and swollen breast. Inflammatory breast cancer grows rapidly, and patients tend to have poor outcomes.

Circulating tumor cells are cancer cells that are found in the blood circulation. Studies have shown that the levels of circulating tumor cells can be used to predict survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer (cancer that has spread to other parts of the body). However, circulating tumor cells have not yet been studied in patients with newly diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer. 

The authors studied the presence and associated outcomes of circulating tumor cells in 147 patients with newly diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer. Of these 147 patients, 70 had inflammatory breast cancer that had spread to other parts of the body. Levels of circulating tumor cells were detected in each patient before they started chemotherapy treatment. The average levels of circulating tumor cells among the 147 patients were 2 per 7.5 mL of blood. After an average follow-up time of 26.3 months, 55.1% of patients had worsening disease and 44.9% of patients had died.

 Patients with less than 5 circulating tumor cells had an average progression free survival (period without worsening disease) of 26.4 months. Meanwhile, patients with 5 or more circulating tumor cells had an average progression free survival of 10.5 months.  Patients with less than 5 circulating tumor cells had an average overall survival of 56.9 months. Meanwhile, patients with 5 or more circulating tumor cells had an average overall survival of 10.5 months.

Patients who took statins (medication to lower cholesterol levels) before they were diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer tended to have lower levels of circulating tumor cell levels than patients who did not take statins. 

The authors concluded that circulating tumor cells could strongly predict a worse outcome in patients with newly diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer.