MCF-7 cells--changing the course of breast cancer research and care for 45 years

J Natl Cancer Inst. 2015 Mar 31;107(7):djv073. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djv073. Print 2015 Jul.

Abstract

It is 45 years since a pleural effusion from a patient with metastatic breast cancer led to the generation of the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. MCF-7 is the most studied human breast cancer cell line in the world, and results from this cell line have had a fundamental impact upon breast cancer research and patient outcomes. But of the authors for the nearly 25000 scientific publications that used this cell line, how many know the unique story of its isolation and development? In this commentary we will review the past, present, and future of research using MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma* / chemistry
  • Adenocarcinoma* / epidemiology
  • Adenocarcinoma* / secondary
  • Adenocarcinoma* / surgery
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis*
  • Breast Neoplasms* / chemistry
  • Breast Neoplasms* / epidemiology
  • Breast Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms* / surgery
  • Female
  • Genomics
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells*
  • Michigan
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy* / methods
  • Nuns
  • Parity
  • Pleural Effusion, Malignant / etiology
  • Pleural Effusion, Malignant / pathology*
  • Pleural Neoplasms / secondary
  • Postmenopause
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / analysis
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / drug effects
  • Receptors, Estrogen / analysis*
  • Receptors, Estrogen / drug effects
  • Thoracic Wall
  • Tissue Culture Techniques / methods

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2