Detection of circulating neoplastic cells by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in malignant melanoma: association with clinical stage and prognosis

• Published in: Journal of clinical oncology Vol. 14; no. 7; p. 2091
• Main Authors: Mellado, B, Colomer, D, Castel, T, Muñoz, M, Carballo, E, Galán, M, Mascaró, J M, Vives-Corrons, J L, Grau, J J, Estapé, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.1996
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Disease-Free Survival; Female; Humans; Male; Melanoma - blood; Melanoma - mortality; Melanoma - pathology; Melanoma - secondary; Middle Aged; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Prospective Studies; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; Skin Neoplasms - blood; Skin Neoplasms - mortality; Skin Neoplasms - pathology

Circulating melanoma cells can be detected in peripheral blood by means of tyrosinase mRNA amplification by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the clinical significance of the presence of circulating neoplastic cells in the blood of...