Evaluation of disseminated tumor cells and circulating tumor cells in patients with breast cancer receiving adjuvant zoledronic acid

Neelima Vidula; Sally Greenberg; Laura Petrillo; Jimmy Hwang; Michelle Melisko; Andrei Goga; Mark Moasser; Mark Magbanua; John W Park; Hope S Rugo

doi:10.1038/s41523-021-00323-8

Evaluation of disseminated tumor cells and circulating tumor cells in patients with breast cancer receiving adjuvant zoledronic acid

NPJ Breast Cancer. 2021 Sep 6;7(1):113. doi: 10.1038/s41523-021-00323-8.

Authors

Neelima Vidula¹, Sally Greenberg², Laura Petrillo³, Jimmy Hwang⁴, Michelle Melisko⁴, Andrei Goga⁴, Mark Moasser⁴, Mark Magbanua⁴, John W Park⁴, Hope S Rugo⁴

Affiliations

¹ Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, United States. nvidula@mgh.harvard.edu.
² Western Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
³ Massachusetts General Hospital, Division of Palliative Care, Boston, MA, United States.
⁴ University of California San Francisco, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center Precision Medicine Cancer Building, San Francisco, CA, United States.

Abstract

We evaluated disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with stage I-III breast cancer with >4 MM/mL DTC at baseline who received adjuvant zoledronic acid (ZOL). ZOL was administered every 4 weeks for 24 months, and patients underwent bone marrow aspiration at baseline, and 12 and 24 months of ZOL. Complete DTC response (<4 DTC/mL), serial CTCs, survival, recurrence, and toxicity were determined. Forty-five patients received ZOL. Median baseline DTC was 13.3/mL. Significant reduction in median DTC occurred from baseline to 12 months, and 24 months. Complete DTC response was seen in 32% at 12 months, and 26% at 24 months. Nine patients developed recurrence. Baseline DTC > 30/mL and CTC > 0.8/mL were significantly associated with recurrence and death. Serial reduction in DTCs occurred. Higher baseline DTC > 30/mL and CTC > 0.8/mL correlated with recurrence and death.