title: Blood-based RT-PCR assays of MN/CA9 or PSMA: clinical application in renal cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report a survey of blood-based RNAs obtained from common groups of control and renal cancer patients for expression of both MN/CA9 and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) messenger RNAs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays for MN/CA9 and PSMA were performed on RNAs extracted from 81 blood samples (59 patients with renal cancer, 7 with benign tumors, and 15 control volunteers). The results of these assays were statistically analyzed to determine whether a positive result (individually or combined) correlates with any tumor characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neither MN/CA9 nor PSMA amplification products were detected in the RNAs from peripheral blood samples of the 15 control volunteers and from the 7 patients with benign renal tumor (sensitivity 100%). MN/CA9 alone was detected in 11 (19%) of 59 samples and PSMA alone in 12 (20%) of 59 samples from patients with renal cancer. PSMA positivity was significantly correlated with vascular invasion of the primary tumor. Expression of one or both of these molecular tumor markers was detected in 21 (36%) of 59 renal cancer patients. When combined, the results of the MN/CA9 and PSMA RT-PCR tests were found to be highly associated with vascular invasion in nephrectomy specimens (sensitivity 67%, specificity 77%, odds ratio = 6.89, P = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combination of RT-PCR assays for MN/CA9 and PSMA provides a sensitive blood test for molecular detection of clear cell carcinoma of the kidney and its potential for vascular invasion. Further testing of this assay will be required to evaluate its efficacy in the diagnosis, screening, and follow-up of patients with kidney cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, New York 10032, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de la Taille
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McKiernan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buttyan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burchardt
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Burchardt
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hayek
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Olsson
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Chopin
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Sawczuk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D000071231:Carbonic Anhydrase IX; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases; D002268:Carboxypeptidases / Q000097:blood*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016017:Odds Ratio; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D002268:Carboxypeptidases; C473848:FOLH1 protein, human; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II; C089226:CA9 protein, human; D000071231:Carbonic Anhydrase IX; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases