Expression and Clinical Significance of EGFR-mRNA、 LUNX-mRNA in Peripheral Blood of Lung Cancer Patients

Objective To establish reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) with primers specific for EGFR gene and LUNX gene to detect circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood of non-small-cell lung cancer patients(NSCLC), and try to find the relationship between the mRNA expression and micrometastasis. Methods The expressions of EGFR,LUNX were analyzed by RT-PCR in 40 cases of NSCLC tumor tissue and in peripheral blood, compared with 15 patients with benign lung disease and 10 healthy volunteers. Results The expressions of EGFR mRNA, LUNX mRNA were 77.5%, 100% in 40 NSCLC tumor tissue and were 55.0%,57.5% in peripheral blood of 40 NSCLC patients. In control group, the expression of EGFR mRNA in 15 benign lung cases was 13.3%. There was no expression of LUNX mRNA in benign lung disease. There was no expression of mRNA in peripheral blood of 15 patients with benign lung disease and 10 healthy volunteers. Conclusion EGFR mRNA,LUNX mRNA might be specific and sensitive markers to detect circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood and their expression was closely related to TNM stages and tumor cell differentiating degrees of the lung cancer patients.