No evidence of tumour cells in blood of patients with glioma.
BACKGROUND
Although clinically apparent systemic metastases of gliomas are very rare, reports of gliomas developing in recipient's transplanted organs have suggested that haematogenous spread might be more common.


METHODS
This report describes a newly developed, sensitive real time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of mRNA encoding glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Blood from 10 patients with astrocytoma and 10 patients with glioblastoma was analysed.


RESULTS
No GFAP mRNA was detected.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that even subclinical metastases are very rare and are probably restricted to distinct subsets of glioma.
Böhm
C
C
Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital, Domagkstr. 19, 48149 Münster, Germany.
Wassmann
H
H
Paulus
W
W
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005910:Glioma / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger