Detection of bone marrow micrometastasis

Hybridoma. 1999 Oct;18(5):465-6. doi: 10.1089/hyb.1999.18.465.

Abstract

The detection of metastasizing single tumor cells has so far been difficult. Using a monoclonal antibody (MAb A45-B/B3) recognizing human cytokeratin, we identified immunocytochemically single tumor cells and micrometastases in patients (n = 24) with nonsmall cell lung cancer at the time of surgery of the primary tumor. The cytokeratin-positive cells (1-14/5 x 10(5) cells) in the bone marrow samples of 9 (9/24) patients were found. We also found a garland-like cluster, which consists of seven cancer cells and two closely connected tumor cells from one bone marrow sample. These results indicate that this technique can be used as a early diagnostic technique of bone marrow micrometastasis in the patient with the nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal*
  • Bone Marrow Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Bone Marrow Neoplasms / immunology
  • Bone Marrow Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / immunology
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / secondary
  • Epitopes
  • Humans
  • Hybridomas / immunology
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Keratins / immunology
  • Lung Neoplasms
  • Mice

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Epitopes
  • Keratins