• RAPID COMMUNICATION • Correlation between CK18 gene and gastric carcinoma micrometastasis

AIM: To explore the biological behavior of gastric carcinoma micrometastasis (MM) with a marker of cytokeratin 18 (CK18) and to evaluate the clinical stage of gastric carcinoma and its prognosis. METHODS: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to examine the expression of CK18 mRNA in 298 lymph nodes from 35 patients with gastric carcinoma and 20 lymph nodes from 10 patients with chronic peptic ulcer and gastric perforation diagnosed by pathological examination and surgery. CK18 mRNA expression of peripheral blood from 54 patients with gastric carcinoma and 10 healthy people were also examined. RESULTS: Expression of CK18 mRNA was not foun