Study of Cytokeratin 20 Expression and p53 Gene Mutation in Peripheral Blood of Patients with Colorectal Carcinoma / 中国医师杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To set up an efficient and rapid method for detecting CK20 expression in peripheral blood of patients with colorectal carcinoma, and explore the relationship between CK20 expression and micrometastasis of colorectal carcinoma. Methods CK20 mRNA expression in peripheral blood of 36 patients with colorectal carcinomas was detected at various time points before and after operation by fluorescent RT-PCR. The mutation of p53 gene was also detected using SSCP. Results The positive rate of CK20 mRNA expression in peripheral blood before and 24 hours after operation was 75%(27/36) and 83.3%(30/36), respectively. After the short-term chemotherapy, the positive rate of CK20 mRNA expression was 36%(13/36). No mutation of p53 gene was found in those patients. Conclusion Fluorescent RT-PCR for detecting CK20 mRNA expression in peripheral blood was simple and efficacious. It was useful to monitor micrometastasis of colorectal carcinoma.