Experimental study on genetic detecting gastrointestinal cancer micrometastases in regional lymph node

Objective To explore the clinic significance of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in detecting gastric cancer micrometastases in regional lymph node.Methods Tumor tissues of 18 cases and 78 lymph nodes were studied by both histopathologic examination and RT-PCR. Results All specimens of 18 gastric carcinoma expressed keratin 19 (k19) mRNA, and there were 16 positive lymph node metastases in examined lymph nodes by routine histological examination, the number reach to 26 when the specincens were examined by RT-PCR. Conclusions K19 mRNA detection by RT-PCR is a high sensitive and specific method, combining micrometastases, it is helpful to decide extent of lymph node dissection and determine the tumor stage and predict prognosis precisely.