title: Peri-operative filtration of disseminated cytokeratin positive cells in patients with colorectal liver metastasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liver resection is the only potential cure for patients with colorectal liver metastasis. However, more than 30% of patients will develop tumour recurrence, probably caused by tumour cells disseminated before or during surgery. As prevention of cell dissemination is barely obtainable, alternative concepts have to be discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The potential of leukocyte adhesion filters for the removal of cytokeratin positive cells (CK+) from blood was studied in 18 patients undergoing liver resection for colorectal liver metastasis. Blood sampling was done via a liver venous catheter during hepatic mobilisation. Filtration was done with an in-line WBF2 filter system. To define the relation between surgery and cell release we compared patients' pre-operative and intra-operative blood and bone marrow (BM) samples with their CK expression using immunochemical staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CK+ cells were detected in BM samples of nine of 14 patients before surgery, indicating early dissemination. In ten of 18 patients CK+ cells were detected in blood samples during hepatic mobilisation; all ten patients underwent major liver surgery (R0 resection). In those patients recurrent disease was observed more often (P < or = 0.05). In 17 of 18 patients CK+ cells were not detectable after filtration procedure, which indicated cell adhesion to the filter medium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Liver resection due to metastasis leads to frequent intra-operative tumour cell shedding. As the detection of CK+ cells is correlated with disease recurrence, modification of surgical techniques to prevent cell dissemination, and additional therapeutic concepts such as advanced filtration technology, have to be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Transplantation, University of Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45147, Essen, Germany. nils.fruehauf@uni-essen.de
authors.forename: Nils R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Frühauf
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasimir-Bauer
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Görlinger
authors.forename: Hauke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Christian P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Kaudel
authors.forename: Gernot M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: Karl J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Oldhafer
authors.forename: Christoph E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Broelsch
mesh_terms: D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002452:Cell Count; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005374:Filtration / Q000379:methods*; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D007633:Keratins