title: The clinical significance of theEzringene and circulating tumor cells in osteosarcoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the peripheral blood of an osteosarcoma and theEzringene expressed in CTCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  CTC enrichment was done with CanPatrol™ CTC enrichment technique in 41 patients with osteosarcoma. The characterization of CTCs was performed using a multiple messenger RNA in situ analysis (MRIA). The expression of theEzringene in CTCs was detected by RNA probe technology. The correlations of CTC counts, cell type and the expression level of theEzringene with clinical stage and metastasis of osteosarcoma were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CTC counts correlated significantly with Enneking stage (P<0.001). The ratio of mesenchymal CTCs correlated with the distant metastases (P<0.001).Ezringene expression in CTCs correlated significantly with distant metastases (χ2=152.51,P=0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ratio of mesenchymal CTCs in the peripheral blood of osteosarcoma correlates with distant metastases. High expression ofEzringene in CTCs correlates with distant metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics.
authors.forename: Guang-Xian
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shao-Dan
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics.
authors.forename: Rongkai
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics.
authors.forename: Zhao-Yang
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
keywords: Ezrin gene; circulating tumor cells; metastases; osteosarcoma