title: [Molecular staging of hematogenous microdissemination of prostate cancer cells].
abstract: We have used a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay for prostate specific antigen (PSA) expression to detect hematogenous microdissemination in patients with prostate cancer. Thirty-nine consecutive patients with prostate cancer were surveyed. Nineteen patients (48.7%) were positive for PSA-expressing cells in this assay. Positivity rates by stage were as follows: stage A1-0/1, A2-0/2, B-2/6, C-2/9, D0-3/3, D1-1/4, D2-11/14. In clinically organ-confined cancers with a positive assay result, two stage C patients subsequently developed bone metastasis, while two stage B patients who were positive had no evidence of disease progression. In patients with a negative assay result, 3 of the 3 stage A, 3 of the 4 stage B, and 6 of the 7 stage C patients did not develop hematogenous dissemination during the follow-up period. Molecular assay for hematogenous microdissemination of prostate cancer cells provides an opportunity for earlier detection of disseminated disease and may have prognostic value.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kunimi
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000235:genetics; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen