Lymph node micrometastases detected by carcinoembryonic antigen mRNA affect long-term survival and disease-free interval in early-stage lung cancer patients.

ABSTRACT: The majority of stage I lung cancer patients undergo a complete resection of their tumor; however, they still harbor a considerable risk of mortality due to recurrences. A correlation between the presence of lymph node micrometastases and poor prognosis has been observed. The aim of this study was to correlate the lymph node molecular staging with the 5-year survival and disease-free interval following pulmonary lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) mRNA was performed on primary lung tumors and regional lymph nodes from 55 surgically resected NSCLC patients classified as clinical stage I. CEA mRNA was found to be present in all the primary tumors. RT-PCR revealed

SUBMITTER: Nosotti M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3499616 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature