[Expression of GC-C mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and its clinical roles in determining state of gastric cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the expression of GC-C mRNA in peripheral blood of gastric carcinoma patients and determine its potential candidacy as a molecular biological marker for predicting the micrometastasis and determining the status of gastric cancer. METHODS: GC-C mRNA from peripheral blood samples of gastric carcinoma (n = 60), dysplastic (n = 21), intestinal metaplasia (n = 15) and healthy cases (n = 20) from November 2009 to August 2010 at Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University were assessed by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RFQ-PCR). RESULTS: The expressions of GC-C mRNA in peripheral blood from patients with dysplasia, intestinal metaplasia and healthy controls were absent or very low. And a high level of GC-C mRNA was detected in the patients with gastric carcinoma than those with dysplastic and intestinal metaplasia, and the positive rate were 48.3% (29/60), 9.5% (2/21), 20.0% (3/15), respectively (all P < 0.05). The levels of GC-C mRNA were significantly correlated with Lauren typing, clinical stage, tumor differentiation degree, depth of invasion and lymph node metastasis (all P < 0.05). The GC-C mRNA expressions were positively correlated in peripheral blood and gastric carcinomas tissues (r = 0.4009, P = 0.0015). CONCLUSIONS: The over-expression of GC-C mRNA is found in peripheral blood from gastric carcinoma patients. Due to its close correlation with clinical stage and lymph node metastasis, it may become a potential prognostic marker of gastric carcinoma.