Secondly, we agree that false-positive results from illegitimate expression of CK19 or expression of pseudogenes cannot be ruled out using this detection method. This is acknowledged in our reference publication [1], which is cited in the article as reference number 19.
University of Crete, PO Box 1352, 71110 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
* E-mail: stath{at}med.uoc.gr
References
1. Stathopoulou A, Vlachonikolis I, Mavroudis D et al. Molecular detection of cytokeratin-19-positive cells in the peripheral blood of patients with operable breast cancer: evaluation of their prognostic significance. J Clin Oncol 2002; 20: 34043412.
2. Xenidis N, Vlachonikolis I, Mavroudis D et al. Peripheral blood circulating cytokeratin-19 mRNA-positive cells after the completion of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with operable breast cancer. Ann Oncol 2003; 14: 849855.
3. Solakoglu O, Maierhofer C, Lahr G et al. Heterogeneous proliferative potential of occult metastatic cells in bone marrow of patients with solid tumors. Proc Natl Acad Sci 2002; 99: 22462251.
4. Piegra JY, Bonneton C, Magdelenat H et al. Clinical significance of proliferative potential of occult metastatic cells in bone marrow of patients with breast cancer. Br J Cancer 2003; 89: 539545.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
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