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Cytokeratin 20 as a marker for detection of tumor cells in peripheral blood of colorectal cancer patients by reverse transcription polymerase-chain reaction

In this study, cytokeratin (CK20) was investigated as a marker for detection of circulating colorectal cancer cells by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The aim of this study was to investigate if there is an association between the distribution of CK20 value and stage of the disease in colorectal cancer patients. Peripheral venous blood samples were obtained preoperatively from 65 colorectal cancer patients. Blood samples were analyzed by RT-PCR for the expression of CK20. Blood samples from 21 healthy volunteers were analyzed as controls. The threshold for detection of CK20 was set low enough to detect 100 colon cancer cells in 10 mL of peripheral blood. All samples from healthy volunteers were negative for CK20. Out of 65 colorectal cancer patients, 14 (21.5%) were positive for CK20. Positive value of CK20 was found in 0% of stage 0 ; 7.1% of stage 1 ; 25.0% of stage 2 ; 20.0% of stage 3 ; and 55.6% of stage 4 patients. A statistically significant trend of increase in the proportion of patients with positive values of CK20 with increasing stage of disease has been shown (p=0.008, Chi-square test for trend). An increase in the proportion of patients with positive value of CK20 with increasing stage of the disease shown in this study indicates potential prognostic value of CK20 in patients with colorectal cancer.

colorectal cancer; cytokeratin 20; reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction; circulating tumor cells

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