Molecular detection of disseminated cancer cells in the peripheral blood of patients with gastric cancer.
This study was designed to determine whether circulating cancer cells in patients with gastric cancer can be identified by a RT-PCR method and to assess the clinical significance of the hematogenic dissemination of cancer cell in gastric cancer patients. A total of 41 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled in this study. Peripheral blood samples from 41 patients with gastric cancer were analyzed for CEA mRNA using RT-PCR. Of the 36 patients undergoing radical gastrectomy, eight had a positive CEA mRNA signal in their peripheral blood before the gastrectomy. In four patients, the CEA mRNA signal was negative, positive and then negative again, before, during and after the surgery, respectively. Of the five inoperable patients with peritoneal metastasis, four had positive CEA mRNA signals despite no metastasis in any other organs. The RT-PCR method is a useful diagnostic modality to determine patient selection for chemotherapy after surgery.
First Department of Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan.
S
S
Nishida
K
K
Kitamura
D
D
Ichikawa
H
H
Koike
N
N
Tani
H
H
Yamagishi
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000235:genetics*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018450:Disease Progression; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood*; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm