Detection of GalNAcT mRNA in bone marrow from patients with breast cancer and its clinical significance

Objective:To study the expression of GalNAcT mRNA in bone marrow of patients with breast cancer,in order to validate its clinical value.Methods:Nested RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) was used to detect GalNAcT mRNA expression in bone marrow from 40 patients with breast cancer,meanwhile cytokeratin of breast cancer cells in the bone marrow was detected by immunohistochemistry at the same time.Bone marrows from 10 patients with blood benign diseases and blood from 15 normal healthy volunteers were enrolled as controls.Results:The positive detection rate of GalNAcT mRNA in bone marrow,and peripheral blood of patients with breast cancer were 42.5%(17/40) and 17.5%(7/40)respectively.No positive GalNAcT mRNA were found in bone marrow of 10 patients with benign diseases and blood of 15 healthy volunteers.Compared with the results of immunohistochemistry,11(27.5%)cases of CK positive were all positive for GalNAcT mRNA.6 cases indicating the presence of micrometastases which could be detected by RT-PCR but not by histological examination.Conclusion:Both RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry are reliable methods to detect micrometastases of bone marrow for patients with breast cancer,but the former is superior to the later on sensitivity.The GalNAcT mRNA may be potential tumor markers for detecting micrometastasis in bone marrow of patients with breast cancer.