The clinical significance of detection of specific CK-20 mRNA in peripheral venous blood from patients with bladder carcinoma / 中华泌尿外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To determine the diagnostic significance of detecting the specific epithelial keratin CK 20 mRNA in peripheral venous blood from patients with bladder carcinomas. Methods Reverse transcription coupled with two step polymerase chain reaction (nested RT PCR) was used to detect CK 20 mRNA expression in the peripheral blood from patients with bladder carcinomas. Results Detection of CK 20 mRNA expression was positive in 37 of 91 patients with bladder carcinoma (41%).Among 20 patients with distant metastasis,17 were positive (85%).CK 20 mRNA was not detectable in the blood samples from 25 normal individuals.The frequency of positive CK 20 mRNA expression was signficantly higher in those with distant metastasis. Conclusions The presence of CK 20 mRNA expression in peripheral blood may be used as an early indicator of hematogenous metastasis of bladder carcinoma cells.