[Significance of cytokeratin gene (CK-20 mRNA) expression in metastatic lymph nodes in colon carcinoma patients].
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the significance of detecting cytokeratin gene (CK-20 mRNA) expression in metastatic lymph nodes of colon carcinoma patients.


METHODS
The expression of CK-20 mRNA was detected in 342 lymph nodes by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 49 colon carcinoma patients. Its incidence was compared with that by routine pathologic examination.


RESULTS
The positive rates of detecting metastasis in the lymph nodes were 21.9% by RT-PCR and 11.1% by routine pathologic examination.


CONCLUSIONS
The detection of cancer metastasis in the lymph nodes in colon carcinoma is almost doubled (21.9% vs 11.1%) by CK-20 mRNA, which may provide a guiding significance in staging, treatment planning and prognosis in the prognostic estimation of colon carcinoma patients.
Ye
Xin
X
Department of Oncology, Taian Central Hospital, Taian 271000, China.
Li
Yi
Y
Hou
Gang
G
Liu
Zhongmin
Z
Chen
Tingwu
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D053554:Keratin-20; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D005819:Genetic Markers; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; C507499:KRT20 protein, human; D053554:Keratin-20; D012333:RNA, Messenger