Detección de micrometástasis por RT-PCR de citokeratina 20 y su correlación con la sobrevida global en pacientes portadores de cáncer colorrectal

Abstract

Background: Colorectal cancer relapses or metastasizes in 30% of cases. Cytokeratin 20 is present in 95% of colorectal tumors and their metastases and could be used as a marker to detect tumor cells. Aim: To assess the usefulness and prognostic value of peripheral blood and bone marrow cytokeratin 20 determinations in patients with colorectal cancer. Material and methods: Blood and bone marrow samples were obtained from 56 patients with colorectal cancer aged 26 to 77 years (31 females) before surgical procedure. They were followed for a mean of 22 months (range 2.9 to 72 months) after surgery. Blood and bone marrow from 45 patients without cancer and 35 healthy subjects were used as negative controls. Messenger RNA expression of cytokeratin 20 was studied by real time and nested polymerase chain reaction. Results: Cytokeratin 20 was detected in 6% of controls and 41% of patients. There was no relation between cytokeratin 20 expression and age, gender, overall survival, tumor relapse, progression, localization or stage. Conclusions: Cytokeratin 20 determination is not useful as a marker of tumor progression or dissemination in patients with colorectal cancer.