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. 2006 Jun;132(6):356-62.
doi: 10.1007/s00432-006-0083-y. Epub 2006 Jan 25.

Detection of bone marrow micrometastasis and microcirculating disease in rhabdomyosarcoma by a real-time RT-PCR assay

Soledad Gallego  1 , Anna Llort, Josep Roma, Constantino Sabado, Luis Gros, Josep Sanchez de Toledo
Affiliations

Detection of bone marrow micrometastasis and microcirculating disease in rhabdomyosarcoma by a real-time RT-PCR assay

Soledad Gallego et al. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2006 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: To assess if molecular detection of minimal disseminated disease by real-time reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) could contribute to a better treatment stratification in patients with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS).

Methods: Relative quantification of the tumor-mRNA present in serial samples of bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) from 16 patients with RMS (7 alveolar and 9 embryonal) was performed by a real-time RT-PCR assay. Expression of MyoD1 and acetylcholine receptor (AChR) was analyzed in all samples, along with PAX3/7-FKHR in samples from alveolar tumors.

Results: A good correlation was found between the expression of PAX3/7-FKHR and AChR, while MyoD1 was more sensitive but less specific. In this study, patients with positive PB at the end of treatment showed a poorer prognosis than patients with negative PB. Moreover, in this patient cohort, metastatic relapses were preceded by the detection of microcirculating disease in all cases.

Conclusion: The detection of minimal circulating and micrometastatic disease by real-time RT-PCR, based on the expression of multiple genes, yields highly reproducible results. Patients with positive PB after treatment show poorer survival than patients without microcirculating disease.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Potential impact of the detection of microcirculating disease on clinical outcome. Results of relative quantification of PAX3-FKHR transcripts in PB and BM in patient 5 showing an increase on the microcirculating disease after treatment, preceding clinical relapse
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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