Molecular detection of disseminated cancer cells in the peripheral blood of patients with gastric cancer

This study was designed ro determine whether circulating cancer cells in pa tients with gastric cancer can be identified by a RT-PCR method and to asse ss the clinical significance of the hematogenic dissemination of cancer cel l in gastric cancer patients. A total of 41 patients with gastric cancer we re enrolled in this study. Peripheral blood samples from 41 patients with g astric cancer were analyzed for CEA mRNA using RT-PCR. Of the 36 patients u ndergoing radical gastrectomy, eight had a positive CEA mRNA signal in thei r peripheral blood before the gastrectomy. in four patient, the CEA mRNA si gnal was negative, positive and then negative again, before, during and aft er the surgery, respectively. Of the five inoperable patients with peritone al metastasis, Sour had positive CEA mRNA signals despite no metastasis in any other organs. The RT-PCR method is a useful diagnostic modality to dete rmine patient selection for chemotherapy after surgery.