Elevation in peripheral blood circulating tumor cell number correlates with macroscopic progression in UICC stage IV colorectal cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
Cytokeratin(CK) based real-time RT-PCR assays (QRT-PCR) are now available for peripheral blood circulating tumor cell (CTC) evaluations in colorectal cancer(CRC) patients. Results are non-existent for the application of these techniques to the determination of progression and therapy response in Dukes stage D CRC patients.


METHODS
Each month 30 ml peripheral blood of 30 Dukes D patients (17 with progression) were drawn. CEA, CA19-9, CA72-A and TPA-M determinations were made. CK20, thymidilate synthase(TS) QRT-PCR was performed, as well. Buffy coat was used for immunmagnetic cancer cell isolation and CTC counting. Correlation between elevated CTC and macroscopic progression within 3 months was determined by Chi2 test.


RESULTS
Microscopic CTC single cell, doublet, cluster number were found in correlation with CK20 QRT-PCR results (p< 0.01). There was a significant increase in microscopic CTC number, CK20 and decrease in TS QRT-PCR levels (p< 0.05) in the peripheral blood of the non-responder as compared to responder patients. Elevation of the CTC was in significant correlation with macroscopic progression of the disease in 3 months (p< 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
CTC number reflects the chemotherapeutic sensitivity of CRC patients. Elevation of circulating tumor cell number in peripheral blood is in correlation with macroscopic progression.
Molnar
Bela
B
II Department of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary. mb@bel2.sote.hu
Floro
Lajos
L
Sipos
Ferenc
F
Toth
Bernadett
B
Sreter
Lydia
L
Tulassay
Zsolt
Z
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger