Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) in Blood Utilizing Particular Cancer Stem Cell Marker CK19 and CD3 for Stage1 for Stage 1 of Breast Cancer Iraqi Patents

Abstract

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cells that have sloughed off the primary tumor of several types of cancer into and circulating system. This research was conducted to investigate potential markers for detection of these CTC as might represent a non-invasive method for early detection of breast cancer (BC). Blood samples were collected from 35 breast cancer women who diagnosed with breast cancer and follows up in Medical City hospital in Baghdad, Rasafa between November 2022 and June 2023. The control group included 35 apparently healthy women which were enrolled in the study after they pass the exclusion criteria. Molecular assays started with extraction of RNA followed by RT-qPCR using a specific primer to detect the gene expression of CK-19. Furthermore, ELIZA was conducted to reveal CD3 level. These two markers were recruited as markers for detection of CTCs. Conclusion: The results showed that there was a positive relationship of the expression level of both markers in patients grouped as stage 1breast cancer when compared with healthy women. All samples expressed CK-19 mRNA and the mean of CK-19 expression records more than doubled increase in stage 1 breast cancer when compared to those of healthy women. In addition, samples from patient grouped by stage 1 records a significant increase (P= 0.0130) serum level of CD3 marker when compared to those of healthy women. Immuno-detecting of CD3 might support the invasive diagnosing of breast cancer in early stage of diagnosing.