[Detection mucin gene in cervical lymph nodes in supraglottic cancer by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of discovery of cervical lymph nodes micrometastasis of supraglottic carcinomas by detection of mucin (MUC1) gene. METHODS: Twenty-five supraglottic carcinoma patients with clinically negative lymph nodes were performed neck dissection. MUC1 gene mRNA in these resected lymph nodes was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and histopathological examination to find the potential micrometastasis. RESULTS: Of all 93 cervical lymph nodes, micrometastasis were found in 23 nodes of 6 case by histopathological examination and RT-PCR. Four of 19 cases with negative lymph nodes pathologically showed MUC1 gene expression and were identified to have metastasis by clinical recurrence and serial-sectioning. Therefore, the rate of detection of micrometastasis by this way was 16% (4/25), higher than that of regular pathologic methods. CONCLUSION: Detection of lymph nodes micrometastasis with RT-PCR method was more sensitive than that of regular pathologic methods. It is a valuable method to detect early lymph nodes metastasis.