title: Quantitative real-time RT-PCR detection for CEA, CK20 and CK19 mRNA in peripheral blood of colorectal cancer patients.
abstract: This study is aimed at establishing a sensitive approach to detect disseminated tumor cells in peripheral blood and evaluate its clinical significance. A total of 198 blood samples including 168 from colorectal carcinoma (CRC) patients and 30 from healthy volunteers were examined by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to evaluate the expression of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin 20 (CK20) and cytokeratin 19 (CK19) mRNA. CEA mRNA was detected in 35.8% of patients and 3.3% of controls, CK20 mRNA in 28.3% of patients and 6.7% of controls, and CK19 mRNA in 41.9% of patients and 3.3% of controls. CEA and CK20 mRNA positive ratio increased with the advancing Dukes stages, but there was no significant difference in positive ratio between any two stages (P>0.05). Also, relatively high positive ratio of CEA, CK20 and CK19 mRNA expression was observed in some CRC patients with earlier Dukes stages. A higher positive ratio was obtained when two or three detection markers were combined compared to a single marker. Our study indicates that quantitative real-time RT-PCR detection for CEA, CK20 and CK19 mRNA in peripheral blood is a valuable tool for monitoring early stage dissemination of CRC cells in blood circulation.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Institute, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China. honokiol@gmail.com
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xu-fen
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Wen-zhi
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053554:Keratin-20; D007633:Keratins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; C507499:KRT20 protein, human; D053554:Keratin-20; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007633:Keratins