title: Detection of circulating tumor cells in bladder cancer using multiplex PCR assays.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to develop multiplex-PCR assays for the detection of circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood and urine samples of patients with bladder cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood and urine samples were collected from 208 patients (169 patients and 39 healthy volunteers). After RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, the samples were analyzed for the expression of cytokeratin 19 (CK19), CK20 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mRNA in blood and for SURVIVIN, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), cytokeratin 20 (CK20) mRNA in urine, using multiplex-PCR assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EGFR and CK20 alone or in combination as well as all urine markers correlated well with histological grade. hTERT correlated well with primary tumor size T≥3. Patients with positive urine markers had significantly worse progression-free survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiplex-PCR assays can be a useful tool for staging and monitoring purposes in patients with bladder cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical School, National & Kapodistian University of Athens, Athens, Greece j_leot@yahoo.gr.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Leotsakos
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical School, National & Kapodistian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dimopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical School, National & Kapodistian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Eliona
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gkioka
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical School, National & Kapodistian University of Athens, Athens, Greece Department of Internal Medicine, Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Pavlos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Msaouel
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical School, National & Kapodistian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Adrianos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nezos
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical School, National & Kapodistian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Stravodimos
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical School, National & Kapodistian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koutsilieris
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical School, National & Kapodistian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Constantinos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Constantinides
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000652:urine; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000652:urine; D053539:Keratin-19 / Q000097:blood; D053554:Keratin-20 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000652:urine; D000077022:Survivin; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics / Q000652:urine; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D053539:Keratin-19; D053554:Keratin-20; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000077022:Survivin; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase
keywords: CK19; CK20; Circulating tumor cells; EGFR; PCR; SURVIVIN; bladder cancer; h-TERT