ABSTRACT
Objective To establish a new method to measure the elastic modulus of living circulating tumor cells (CTCs) by micropipette aspiration. Methods Living CTCs were enriched by commercial microfluidic chips and identified individually using EpCAM antibody under fluorescence microscope. The elastic modulus of CTCs was measured using micropipette aspiration and compared with cancer cell lines. Results For the elastic modulus of different cancer cell lines, heterogeneity was found not only between the different types of cancer cell lines but also inside the same cell line. The CTCs in breast cancer had a smaller elasticity modulus compared with MCF-7 cancer cell line. Conclusions This method can measure the elastic modulus of living CTCs, which provides cell mechanics data for studying the relationship between physical properties of CTCs and diagnosis of cancers, as well as developing the physical biomarkers of tumor cells.
ABSTRACT
Objective · To prepare the liposomal pemetrexed and investigate its effects on MCF-7 breast cancer cells in vitro and nude mice bearing MCF-7 xenograft tumors. Methods · Liposomal pemetrexed was prepared by film dispersion method. Inhibition of MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines was evaluated by CCK-8 method, and anti-tumor effects were investigated on Balb/c nude mice bearing MCF-7 xenograft tumors. Results · Liposomal pemetrexed inhibited the growth of MCF-7 cells. When the concentrations of pemetrexed were 0.20, 0.40 and 10.00 μg/mL, the cell viability in experiment group (liposomal pemetrexed) was significantly lower than that in control group (pemetrexed of same concentration gradient), with P values of 0.013, 0.035 and 0.041, respectively. Compared with blank group (same volume of PBS), the volumes and weights of tumors of nude mice in experiment group(liposomal pemetrexed) and control group (same volume of pemetrexed) were significantly lower, and the volume and weight of tumor in experiment group were also significantly lower than those in control group (P=0.000). Conclusion · Compared to bulk drug of pemetrexed, liposomal pemetrexed can inhibit the growth of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and the Balb/c nude mice bearing MCF-7 xenograft tumors.
ABSTRACT
There is no treatment norm on the fertility issue of breast cancer patients. The clinical studies show that the effects of chemotherapy and endocrine treatment on menstrual cycle and ovarian function have connection with patients' age, therapeutic regimen and drug dose. The time to be pregnant should be decided according to the stage of tumor and the therapeutic regimen. The trimester of pregnancy and tumor stage should be considered when making the therapeutic regimen for the breast cancer patients during pregnancy. And it is not recommended to choose the induced abortion for the therapeutic aim. Theoretically, ovarian function inhibition drugs have great application prospects, while, of which the long-term affect on human body and the relation with tumor development need more researches to study. The available evidence-based practices consider that the pregnancy after breast cancer treatment has no adverse affects on the prognosis of early and middle stage breast cancer patients. More study results are needed to normalize and detail the therapeutic regimen and fertility guidance.