[Implication of micrometastatic cancer cells in the peripheral blood on prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer].

Objective: To evaluate the relationship of micrometastatic cancer cells in the blood and prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Blood samples were collected from peripheral vein perioperatively and from the pulmonary vein intraoperatively in NSCLC patients. Cancer cells were detected by flow cytometry, as described previously. The patients were followed up and analyzed statistically.

Results: Cancer cells in blood samples were detected in 20 of 58 patients (34.5%). Patients under 57 years of age or with stage III/IV lesions had higher positive findings than those over 57 years or with stage I/II lesions (P = 0.000 and 0.006, respectively). On the basis of 40 month follow-up data, the 2- and 3-year survival rates of patients with positive and negative results were 30.0% vs 20.0%, and 52.6% vs 50.0%, respectively. There was significant difference between the overall survival curves which favored patients with negative findings (P = 0.0291 and 0.0092, respectively).

Conclusion: This study indicates that cancer cells can be detected in the blood perioperatively from NSCLC patients which means poor prognosis.