Epithelial cells in the peripheral blood of patients with cancer of the head and neck: incidence, detection and possible clinical significance.

Pajonk, F; Schlessmann, S; Guttenberger, R; Henke, M · Radiother Oncol · 2001

case_report · Level V

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Abstract

In this study amplification of cytokeratin-19 mRNA by Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect circulating tumor cells in the peripheral blood of patients with cancer of the head and neck before, during and after radiation therapy. Detection of cytokeratin-19-positive cells coincided with local failure, distant metastasis and anemia.

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