Development and Analytical Validation of Prognostic Biomarkers for Metastasis

90% of breast cancer mortality is caused by distant metastasis, a process that involves both dissemination of cancer cells to distant sites as well .. Read more as their proliferation after arrival. However, prognostic assays currently used in the clinic are based on proliferation and do not measure tumor cell dissemination potential. Based on intravital imaging of tumor cell dissemination in live animals, we previously reported two biomarkers for the development of distant metastasis: TMEM Score and MenaCalc. TMEM Score is based upon the density of Tumor Microenvironment of Metastasis (TMEM) doorways, portals for cancer cell intravasation and dissemination formed by the confluence of a Mena overexpressing tumor cell, a pro-angiogenic macrophage, and an endothelial cell.