Detection of CEA mRNA in the bone marrow of stage III patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Objective:To detect the micrometastases st atus in bone marrow of stageⅢpa-tients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCL C)by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Methods:CEA mRNA expression in bone marrow of rib was detected in41patients with NSCLC and 10patients with pulmonary benign lesions as controls by RT-PCR.Results:The positive rate of CEA mRNA expression was46.3%(19/41)in bone marrow o f patients with NSCLC,and0in patients with benign lesions (P=0.005).N o correlation was observed between the expression and sex,age,cancer cell dif ferentiation,but there was a significant difference in the positive rate betw een squomocacinoma and adenocacinoma .The positive rates were21.7%(5/ 23)and66.7%(8/12)respectively(P=0.013).Con clu sion:RT-PCR amplification of CEA mRNA is a sensitive and specific method to detect bone marrow of rib segments of stageⅢpatients with NSCLC.This method may lead to an early diagnosis and treatment of patients with subclinical metastasis in bone marrow.