[Immunocytochemical detection and prognostic significance of epithelial tumor cells in bone marrow of patients with pancreatic carcinoma].

INTRODUCTION

Minimal residual disease in patients with operable pancreas carcinoma is frequently missed by current non-invasive tumor staging.

PURPOSE

We applied an immunocytochemical cytokeratin assay that allows the identification of individual pancreas carcinoma cells disseminated to bone marrow.

METHODS

Prior to therapy bone marrow was aspirated from the upper iliac crest of 42 patients with pancreas carcinoma and a control group of 30 non-carcinoma patients. Tumor cells in cytologic bone marrow preparations were detected with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) CK2, KL1 and A45-B/B3 to epithelial cytokeratins (CK), using the APAAP-method.

RESULTS

CK-positive cells were found in 14 (58.3%) of 24 cancer patients treated in curative intent and 10 (55.6%) of 18 patients with extended disease. After a mean follow up of 12.7 (3-32) months, 6 (42.8%) out of 14 patients who underwent complete surgical resection presented with tumor relapse and 5 (35.7%) with distant metastases as compared to none of 10 corresponding patients without such cells (p < 0.04). Moreover, patients with epithelial tumor cells in bone marrow showed also a significantly shorter overall survival than those without tumor cells (p < 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Immunocytochemical screening for epithelial tumor cells in bone marrow might contribute to an improved staging and is of prognostic relevance for pancreas carcinoma patients.