VIMENTIN EXPRESSION IN CIRCULATING TUMOR CELLS AS A PROGNOSTIC BIOMARKER FOR BREAST CANCER PROGRESSION

Abstract

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a critical role in cancer metastasis. Vimentin, an intermediate filament protein and a hallmark of epithelial-tomesenchymal
transition (EMT), is implicated in cancer progression and dissemination. This study aimed to evaluate vimentin gene expression in
CTCs as a potential prognostic biomarker for breast cancer. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 30 patients with histologically
confirmed breast cancer and 20 age-matched healthy controls. CTCs were isolated using Ficoll-Paque density gradient centrifugation. Following
initial separate on, a negative selection approach was employed using CD45-conjugated magnetic beads to deplete leukocytes, thereby enriching
the CTC population. Vimentin mRNA expression was quantified by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Vimentin expression was
significantly upregulated in CTCs from breast cancer patients compared to healthy controls (p < 0.01). Elevated expression levels were positively
associated with advanced tumor stage (stage III/IV) and adverse clinical outcomes. Vimentin gene expression in CTCs is a potential non-invasive
biomarker for predicting breast cancer progression. Its prognostic value may assist in tailoring personalized treatment strategies. Future studies
should validate these findings in larger cohorts and explore the mechanistic role of vimentin in breast cancer metastasis