[Rapid quantitative detection of free cancer cells in the peritoneal cavity of gastric cancer patients with real-time RT-PCR, and its prognostic significance].
We have established a rapid and quantitative detection method using real-time RT-PCR on the LightCycler instrument. This method can reproducibly quantitate 10-10(5) CEA expressing colon carcinoma cells per 10(7) peripheral blood leukocytes, a sensitivity comparable with conventional RT-PCR with a wide linear measuring range. Analysis of peritoneal washes from 241 gastric cancer patients with this assay revealed relative values of CEA transcripts that correlate well with the depth of tumor invasion. The sensitivity and specificity of real-time RT-PCR with a cut-off value of 0.25 were 88% and 81%, respectively. At this cut-off value, patients in the real-time RT-PCR (+) group were found to suffer from peritoneal metastasis with a high frequency, while peritoneal recurrence was very rare among patients with real-time RT-PCR (-) results. These results indicate a positive correlation between CEA mRNA levels in peritoneal washes and patient prognosis. We conclude that real-time RT-PCR with hybridization probes is a sensitive, quantitative, specific and rapid method to detect free cancer cells in peritoneal washes.
Nakanishi
H
H
Division of Oncological Pathology, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, 1-1 Kanokoden, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8681, Japan.
Kodera
Y
Y
Yamamura
Y
Y
Tatematsu
M
M
D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000473:pathology*; D003199:Computer Systems; D006801:Humans; D010533:Peritoneal Lavage; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*