[Correlation between the expression of cytokeratin-18-mRNA and invasion and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between the expression of cytokeratin (CK)-18 and biological behavior of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).


METHODS
Twenty-three patients with OSCC were investigated for the expression of CK-18-mRNA by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Correlations between clinical stages, pathological differentiation, lymphatic metastasis and the expression of CK-18-mRNA were evaluated. CK-18-mRNA expression of peripheral blood from the 23 patients and 23 healthy people were also examined. During follow-up after operation, the peripheral blood was collected again for the expression of CK-19-mRNA.


RESULTS
Expression of CK-18-mRNA was found in 16 patients. The expression of CK-18-mRNA was significantly associated with clinical stages, tumor differentiation and lymphatic metastasis. CK-18-mRNA was positive in 4 of 23 blood specimens before operation, but during follow-up only 1 of 23 patients was still positive in peripheral blood.


CONCLUSIONS
CK-18 may provide additional information in forecasting the metastasis of OSCC and serve as a reference in monitoring recurrence.
Shu
Ping
P
Department of Emergency, Capital Medical University School of Stomatology, Beijing 100050, China.
Zhao
De-An
DA
Lu
Da-Peng
DP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053538:Keratin-18 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
D053538:Keratin-18; D012333:RNA, Messenger