RT-PCR-Based Detection of Occult Disseminated Tumor Cells in Peripheral Blood and Bone Marrow of Patients with Solid Tumors: An Overview

摘要: Despite recent progress in early detection and local curative therapy, patients with primary epithelial cancer quite frequently relapse incurable metastasis. Early disseminated tumor cells that may be seminal for distant failure are undetectable by current diagnostic methods have been identified immunocytochemical techniques bone marrow of using monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratins. Recently, promising new molecular approaches, namely, reverse transcriptase--polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays, suggested as a potential technique the minimal residual burden targeting mRNA transcribed from genes marrow, peripheral blood, or lymph nodes. Several studies RT-PCR thus far indicate highly sensitive specific staging tool, although prognostic value is still controversial. However, limitations arise ectopic expression marker hematopoietic deficient circulating cells. The present review focuses on relevant literature demonstrates range applications RT-PCR-based assays detecting blood solid tumors. We will both summarize technical evaluations published approaches discuss widely disparate results PCR findings clinical studies.