Real-time RT-PCR detection for CK19 mRNA in peripheral blood of non-small cell lung cancer patients

Objective:To detect expression of CK19mRNA in peripheral blood of non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC)patients,discuss its clinical significance in diagnosis of micrometastases.Methods:Expression of CK19mRNA was detected in 50 patients with NSCLC and 40 healthy volunteers by real-time quantitative RT-PCR,the results were analyzed by relative quantitative method.Results:The expression rates of CK19mRNA in patients and the control group were 72.5%(29/40)and 14.0%(7/50)(P0.05);The relative level of expression of CK19mRNA in patients and the healthy volunteers were 1.69±0.44 and 0.28±0.12(P0.05).No significant correlation between the expression of CK19mRNA,tumor location,tumor size,TNM stage,cell differentiation and histology was found.The relative level in the patients with squamous cell carcinoma was higher than that in the patients with adenocarcinoma(P0.05),no significant correlation between relative level of CK19mRNA,tumor location,tumor size,TNM stage and cell differentiation was found.Conclusion:Detection for CK19mRNA in peripheral blood of NSCLC patients may be useful for diagnosis of micrometastases,but the specificity must be improved.We need to have further studies with more samples and long-term follow-up.Relative quantitative method is accurate and convenient,it should be recommended.