Vitamin D receptor status of circulating tumor cells (CTC) in metastatic breast cancer patients

Objective: In recent years, several trials suggested that optimal vitamin D levels, by binding to the vitamin D receptor (VDR), have a protective effect against development of breast cancer. VDR expressed in breast tumors may have the potential to be a prognostic biomarker for breast cancer. The detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) predicts outcomes of early and metastatic breast cancers. The evaluation of VDR expression in CTCs of breast cancers patients may contribute to better characterize CTCs. Material and methods: We developed an innovative triple fluorescence technique to visualize simultaneously c…