The prognostic and therapeutic implications of circulating tumor cell phenotype detection based on epithelial–mesenchymal transition markers in the first-line chemotherapy of HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer

Table 2 Association between CTC phenotype and clinicopathological characteristics of patients with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer

Characteristic	Total CTCs			E + CTCs			E +/M + CTCs			M + CTCs			EMT-CTCs
Characteristic	Average count	Z value	P value	Average count	Z value	P value	Average count	Z value	P value	Average count	Z value	P value	Average count	Z value	P value
HR status
Positive	10.47 ± 1.56	− 1.942	0.052	1.93 ± 0.34	− 0.121	0.904	5.99 ± 1.07	− 1.687	0.092	2.70 ± 0.56	− 1.881	0.060	8.69 ± 1.42	− 2.314	0.021
Negative	17.06 ± 4.38	− 1.942	0.052	1.88 ± 0.61	− 0.121	0.904	9.00 ± 2.64	− 1.687	0.092	6.19 ± 2.33	− 1.881	0.060	15.19 ± 3.90	− 2.314	0.021
Disease-free survival (months)
< 24	15.04 ± 4.08	− 0.181	0.856	2.44 ± 0.64	− 1.148	0.251	7.81 ± 2.49	− 0.381	0.703	4.78 ± 1.49	− 0.963	0.335	12.59 ± 3.60	− 0.027	0.979
≥ 24	10.19 ± 1.26	− 0.181	0.856	1.70 ± 0.33	− 1.148	0.251	5.97 ± 0.95	− 0.381	0.703	2.70 ± 0.62	− 0.963	0.335	8.67 ± 1.20	− 0.027	0.979
Previous endocrinotherapy
None	11.73 ± 1.77	− 0.084	0.933	1.93 ± 0.35	− 0.557	0.578	6.41 ± 1.16	− 0.681	0.496	3.55 ± 0.77	− 0.355	0.722	9.96 ± 1.62	− 0.447	0.655
First-line or more	11.32 ± 2.83	− 0.084	0.933	1.89 ± 0.59	− 0.557	0.578	6.95 ± 1.92	− 0.681	0.496	2.47 ± 0.77	− 0.355	0.722	9.42 ± 2.45	− 0.447	0.655

All data of cell count are expressed as mean ± standard error in 5 mL peripheral blood
HR hormone receptor, DFS disease-free survival, CTCs circulating tumor cells, E + CTCs epithelial CTCs, E +/M + CTCs biphenotypic epithelial/mesenchymal CTCs, M + CTCs mesenchymal CTCs, EMT-CTCs E +/M + and M + CTCs

ISSN: 2523-3548