Folate receptor-positive circulating tumor cells as a potential biomarker for breast cancer diagnosis

Objectives

This study investigated the potential of folate receptor-positive circulating tumor cells (FR+CTCs) as a non-invasive biomarker for breast cancer diagnosis and clinical stratification. Materials and Methods: Between January 2024 and October 2024, 179 breast cancer patients and 38 patients with benign breast diseases were enrolled at Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, China. FR+CTCs were isolated from peripheral blood using the CytoploRare® kit and quantified via real-time polymerase chain reaction. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.