Expression of the PLS3 Gene in Circulating Cells in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Circulating tumor cells (CTC) are cells in circulating blood that have the antigen and gene features of tumor cells of a specific type. Since they can be potentially used in diagnostics and monitoring of treatment of many tumors, they have been attracting attention of researchers worldwide. Plastin-3 (PL S3) is one of such markers of CTC. The aim of the study was to assess expression of PL S3 in CTC in patients with colorectal cancer, to conduct a statistical analysis and to demonstrate a link between expression of PL S3 and progress of the disease, level of CEA and Ca19-9 markers, gender and age of the patients.

A group of 85 patients of the Department of General and Colorectal Surgery of the Medical University in Łódź were enrolled in this study. Circulating tumor cells were isolated from whole blood of patients with colorectal cancer and an analysis of PL S3 gene expression in CTC was conducted. The next step was to conduct a statistical analysis and to demonstrate a link between expression of PL S3 in patients' CTC and progress of the disease, level of CEA and Ca 19-9 markers, gender and age of the patients.

PL S3 is a marker which can be potentially used in prediction and monitoring of colorectal cancer. A link between expression of PL S3 in CTC of patients with colorectal cancer and metastasis to lymph nodes has been demonstrated. It may be of key importance how PL S3 could impact the qualification to supplementary cancer treatment in patients with stage II colorectal cancer. A link between expression of PL S3 gene in CTC and gender requires further in-depth studies. It is beyond doubt that PL S3 must be further investigated to determine its role in diagnostics, prediction, treatment and monitoring of treatment of colorectal cancer.