The presence of stem and epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) features in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) determines their invasiveness, adaptability to the microenvironment, and resistance to proapoptotic signals and chemotherapy. It also allows them to fulfil the role of metastatic "seeds". We evaluated the heterogeneity of stem CTCs by their CD44, ALDH1, and CD133 expression depending on N-cadherin expression in breast-cancer patients.
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