Using Detection of Survivin-Expressing Circulating Tumor Cells in Peripheral Blood to Predict Tumor Recurrence Following Curative Resection of Gastric Cancer

Background and Objectives: The present study was designed to investigate the clinicopathological role of survivin-expressing circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and to determine whether the presence of survivin-expressing CTCs is an independent predictor of tumor recurrence following curative resection of gastric cancer. Methods: This study included 98 patients who underwent potentially curative resection. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (RT-PCR ELISA) was used to measure survivin mRNA in peripheral blood. Results: Of the 98 patients studied, 45 (45.9%) were positive for survivin mRNA. Survivin mRNA expression correlated with Lauren classification (P < 0.001), pathological tumor (pT) stage (P < 0.001), pathological tumor node metastasis (pTNM) stage (P = 0.009), and degree of differentiation (P = 0.001). The pTNM stage and the status of survivin mRNA were independent prognostic factors of disease-free survival (P = 0.007 and <0.001. respectively). Conclusions: The detection of CTCs expressing survivin mRNA could be a good clinical biomarker used to predict the prognosis of patients with curatively resected gastric cancer. J. Surg. Oncol. 2011;103:110-115. (C) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.