Table 2 Clinical relevance of disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow and of circulating tumor cells in blood

Disseminated tumor cells

   As a prognostic marker (M₀)

   As an indicator for secondary adjuvant therapy^a

   For optimization of 'secondary' adjuvant therapy based on the genotype and phenoytpe of the disseminated tumor cells^a

Circulating tumor cells

   As a prognostic marker (M₁)

   For therapy monitoring (M₁) ^a

   For early therapy response to palliative treatment (M₁)^a

   For reassessment of therapeutic markers by characterization of circulating tumor cells (real time biopsy)^a