RESUMEN
Purpose:To investigate genetically a diagnostic method of occult metastasis of lymph node in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.Methods:Using assays of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction technique (RT PCR), MUC1 gene mRNA in thirty negative and thirty positive control lymph nodes was detected to evaluate diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Eighty seven negative regional lymph nodes by conventional histologic examination (pN 0 ) from thirty patients with esophageal carcinoma were studied to detect MUC1 gene mRNA to diagnose lymph node occult metastasis.Results:MUC1 mRNA was not identified in any specimen of negative control group (specificity =100%); MUC1 mRNA was identified in twenty five of positive control specimen (sensitivity =83%). MUC1mRNA was identified in nine lymph nodes (10.3%) from eight patients with pN 0 esophageal carcinoma. Conclusions: Nodal occult metastasis could be diagnosed by the detection of expression of MUC1mRNA of lymph node in patients with pN 0 esophageal carcinoma.