title: K-19 mRNA RT-PCR in detecting micrometastasis in regional lymph nodes of gastric cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the value and prospect of RT-PCR in detecting micrometastasis in regional lymph nodes of gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Histopathology was used and K19 mRNA expression was detected by RT-PCR in tumor tissues and lymph nodes from gastric cancer patients undergoing radical resection of gastric carcinoma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  K19 mRNA was expressed in all tumor specimens of 30 cases; of the 126 lymph nodes, 26 were histopathologically positive (20.6%), and 42 positive (33.3%) by RT-PCR. Amplification fragments of 460 and 540 bp were shown in all the tumor tissues and metastatic lymph nodes after K19 and beta-actin RT-PCR, while only a 540 bp fragment appeared in the lymph nodes of non-tumor patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  K19 mRNA RT-PCR is sensitive and specific in testing micrometastasis in regional lymph nodes of gastric cancer, and it is superior to routine histopathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, First Hospital, Changchun 130021, Jilin Province, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suo
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong-Juan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D053539:Keratin-19 / Q000235:genetics*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D053539:Keratin-19; D012333:RNA, Messenger