Detection of circulating cancer cells in human oral squamous cell carcinoma

  • Authors:
    • Hirofumi Zen
    • Koh-Ichi Nakashiro
    • Satoru Shintani
    • Tomoki Sumida
    • Takayoshi Aramoto
    • Hiroyuki Hamakawa
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: September 1, 2003     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.23.3.605
  • Pages: 605-610
Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells can invade adjacent tissues and the vascular system at an early stage of tumor progression. In the present study, we have attempted to detect circulating cancer cells. We used human OSCC cells expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) in an orthotopic nude mouse model and were able to detect GFP-expressing cells using a fluorescence activated cell sorter and fluorescence microscopy. We also detected the expression of GFP, squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), or epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mRNA in the blood of tumor-bearing mice by conventional reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time quantitative RT-PCR (TaqMan RT-PCR). TaqMan RT-PCR was the more sensitive method to detect the circulating cancer cells. Furthermore, we examined the expression of SCCA and EGFR mRNA in the peripheral blood of patients with OSCC by conventional RT-PCR and TaqMan RT-PCR. We detected SCCA and EGFR mRNA in few cases by conventional RT-PCR, whereas TaqMan RT-PCR showed their expression in about 50% of cases. However, there was no correlation between detection of circulating viable cancer cells and metastasis to lymph nodes and distant organs. These results suggest that TaqMan RT-PCR is a very useful method and both SCCA and EGFR mRNA may be available as a marker for detection of circulating cancer cells.

Related Articles

Journal Cover

September 2003
Volume 23 Issue 3

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Zen H, Nakashiro K, Shintani S, Sumida T, Aramoto T and Hamakawa H: Detection of circulating cancer cells in human oral squamous cell carcinoma. Int J Oncol 23: 605-610, 2003
APA
Zen, H., Nakashiro, K., Shintani, S., Sumida, T., Aramoto, T., & Hamakawa, H. (2003). Detection of circulating cancer cells in human oral squamous cell carcinoma. International Journal of Oncology, 23, 605-610. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.23.3.605
MLA
Zen, H., Nakashiro, K., Shintani, S., Sumida, T., Aramoto, T., Hamakawa, H."Detection of circulating cancer cells in human oral squamous cell carcinoma". International Journal of Oncology 23.3 (2003): 605-610.
Chicago
Zen, H., Nakashiro, K., Shintani, S., Sumida, T., Aramoto, T., Hamakawa, H."Detection of circulating cancer cells in human oral squamous cell carcinoma". International Journal of Oncology 23, no. 3 (2003): 605-610. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.23.3.605