Identifying Circulating Breast Cancer Cells in Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer

October 9, 2015 updated by: Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins

A Feasibility Study of a Novel Technique to Identify Circulating Breast Cancer Cells in Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer

RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood and pleural or peritoneal fluid from patients with metastatic breast cancer in the laboratory may help doctors identify biomarkers related to breast cancer and learn more about how breast cancer begins and spreads in the body.

PURPOSE: This research study is looking at a new way of identifying circulating breast cancer cells in blood and in pleural or peritoneal fluid in women with metastatic breast cancer.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Breast Cancer

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

To compare identification of circulating breast cancer cells (CBCCs) in blood or pleural or peritoneal fluid by a novel technique using stem cell marker retinaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and surface antigen expression (CD44+, CD24-) to the standard technique using the CellSearch® system in women with metastatic breast cancer.

Secondary

To determine whether CBCCs have the potential to grow into metastatic lesions.

OUTLINE: Patients undergo sample collection to help develop a new technique using stem cell marker retinaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and surface antigen expression (CD44+, CD24-) in isolating circulating breast cancer cells (CBCCs) from blood and pleural or peritoneal fluid. Blood may also be drawn to measure the number of circulating tumor cells using the standard CellSearch® system.

Mononuclear cells are isolated by density centrifugation. Cells are stained against surface antigens that provide specific expression patterns for CBCCs (CD44, CD24). Cells are analyzed on a fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) Calibur flow cytometer and sequentially gated (ALDHhigh→CD44+ vs CD24-/low or CD44+ vs CD24-/low→ALDHhigh) for detection of CBCCs. For further confirmation of epithelial origin, ALDHhighCD44+CD24-/low cells are isolated using a FACSAria flow sorter, cytocentrifuged onto glass slides then stained for the expression of epithelial-specific cytokeratins 5, 8, 14, 18 and 19 by standard immunohistochemical techniques. Using the phenotype that is found to most highly enrich for epithelial cells, cells are isolated by FACS and assayed for clonogenic growth.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

United States
- Maryland
  - Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21231-1000
    - Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Metastatic breast cancer patients

Description

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast
- Metastatic disease (stage IV)
Hormone receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Female
Menopausal status not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Not specified

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Observational Models: Cohort
Time Perspectives: Prospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Feasibility of novel technique to identify and isolate circulating breast cancer cells Time Frame: Baseline	Baseline
Comparison of this novel technique with the CellSearch™ system Time Frame: Baseline	Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins

Collaborators

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

August 1, 2007

Primary Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2014

Study Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 9, 2009

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria