Prognostic value of EpCAM/MUC1 mRNA-positive cells in non-small cell lung cancer patients.
The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of EpCAM/MUC1 mRNA-positive circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The presence of EpCAM/MUC1 mRNA-positive CTCs was evaluated in 74 NSCLC patients before the initiation of any therapy, from which 61 patients with surgical resection of tumor were also evaluable for EpCAM/MUC1 mRNA-positive CTC analysis after surgery, by quantitative real-time PCR assay. Sixty patients with benign lung disease (BLD) entered this study as controls. The results showed that blood levels of EpCAM and MUC1 mRNA in NSCLC patients before and after surgery were significantly higher than those in BLD patients (P = 0.001 and P = 0.015, respectively, for EpCAM; P = 0.003 and P = 0.026, respectively, for MUC1), and the levels of the two gene mRNA in NSCLC patients significantly decreased after surgery (P = 0.025 and P = 0.033, respectively). Disease recurrence significantly increased in NSCLC patients with EpCAM/MUC1 mRNA-positive CTC preoperation and postoperation (P = 0.004 and P = 0.001, respectively). Disease-free survival and overall survival significantly reduced in patients with EpCAM/MUC1 mRNA-positive CTC preoperation and postoperation (P = 0.012 and P = 0.002, respectively, for preoperation; both P < 0.001 for postoperation). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the presence of EpCAM/MUC1 mRNA-positive CTCs before and after surgery was an independent factor associated with disease recurrence. In conclusion, the detection of EpCAM/MUC1 mRNA-positive CTCs in the blood before and after surgery is useful for predicting a poor prognosis in NSCLC patients who undergo curative surgery.
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, No. 438 North Jiefang Street, Zhenjiang, China.
Wen-Fang
WF
Zhu
Jian
J
Li
Li-Chao
LC
Yu
Yian
Y
Wu
Xin-Ping
XP
Tang
Yi-Ming
YM
Hu
Yong-Chang
YC
Chen
D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C499379:EPCAM protein, human; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; C060192:MUC1 protein, human; D018396:Mucin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger