Detection of hematogenous micrometastasis in patients with prostate cancer.

Publication/Presentation Date

11-1-1992

Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine if patients with stage D0-3 prostatic adenocarcinoma have detectable hematogenous micrometastasis. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of prostate-specific antigen mRNA, which is exclusively expressed by prostatic epithelial cells, was used to detect circulating prostatic cells. Peripheral venous blood was obtained from 17 control and 12 prostate cancer patients with stage D0-3 prostatic adenocarcinoma. Of the 12 cancer cases, four patients (stage D1-3) tested positive for prostate-specific antigen RNA, indicating the presence of circulating micrometastasis. The 17 negative controls all tested negative. Contrary to a long held hypothesis, these data point to the possibility that hematogenous metastasis may be a relatively early event in the natural history of human prostate cancer. These findings may have an important impact on our understanding and treatment of prostate cancer.

Volume

52

Issue

21

First Page

6110

Last Page

6112

ISSN

0008-5472

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

PubMedID

1382851

Department(s)

Administration and Leadership

Document Type

Article

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