Effect of dietary phytochemicals on the progression of breast cancer metastasis based on the in vivo detection of circulating tumor cells

Dietary phytochemicals have obtained significant attention in cancer prevention. In this study, the metastasis inhibition effects of eleven phytochemicals was evaluated by monitoring the number changes of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the overall procession of cancer metastasis using in vivo CTC capture method. Meanwhile, the anticancer effect on primary tumor growth and lung metastasis were also investigated on breast tumor BALB/c mouse model. At selected dose, the primary tumor growth were suppressed for all of the eleven food phytochemicals except β-carotene. The numbers of lung metastases were reduced and increased tendency of the number of captured CTCs in the blood circulation were delayed in all groups of eleven food phytochemicals. These results indicate that phytochemicals could be the exquisitely suitable candidates for the development of novel therapeutic agents, and the in vivo CTC capture method provided a convenient approach to monitor the procession of tumor metastasis.