title: Melanoma-associated antigen (MAGE) expression in the normal mucosa around colorectal cancer after curative resection: presence of undetectable free cancer cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Curative surgical resection is of great importance and some trials have been performed to identify free undetectable cancer cells using molecular markers. The aim of this study is to investigate melanoma-associated antigen (MAGE) expression in normal mucosa around colorectal cancer and its clinical significance.?
  
  
  METHODS
  From October 2003 to June 2004, we collected 46 colorectal cancer and matched normal mucosal tissues within 20 mm, 20 to 50 mm and more than 50 mm from tumors after the curative operation. Twenty-two mucosal tissues were harvested from patients with benign colorectal diseases as controls. MAGE expression was assayed using nested RT-PCR of MAGE A1-6 mRNA.?
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MAGE expression rates in cancer tissue and adjacent normal mucosa were 65.2%, 6.5% (<20 mm), 2.2% (20-50 mm) and 0.0% (>50 mm), respectively, while MAGE was not expressed in the mucosa of benign diseases. The MAGE-positive cases in the normal mucosa around tumors were located in the left colon or rectum, and one patient showed anastomotic mucosal site recurrence.?
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MAGE expression in normal-appearing mucosa around colorectal cancer showed some clinical findings suggesting the presence of undetectable free cancer cells after curative resection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Dae-Dong
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Han-Il
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hoon-Kyu
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Hyun-Dong
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Chae
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C072013:MAGEA3 protein, human; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases