Minimal residual disease in non-small-cell lung cancer

Early metastatic relapse after complete resection (R0) of apparently locali zed primary tumors is frequent in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This observation indicates an occult tumor cell dissemination alre ady present at the time of primary surgery but undetectable by current tumo r staging methods. During the past 10 years ultrasensitive immunohisto-/-cy tochemical and molecular assays have been developed that are able to detect single tumor cells and small tumor cell clusters present in lymph nodes cl assified as tumor-free by conventional histopathologic analysis, bone marro w, or peripheral blood. Here we present an overview of the incidence and pr ognostic impact of such early disseminated tumor cells in patients with NSC LC. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.