Traditional methods of examining lymph nodes (LNs) for metastases involve microscopically examining hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained 5µm sections of each LN. However, this method has important limitations. Previstage™ GCC Colorectal Cancer Staging Test attempts to overcome problems with sampling errors, marker specificity and persistence of expression in CRC and metastases. Using ultrasensitive quantitative RT-PCR, the assay interrogates the patient’s lymph nodes to identify levels of GCC consistent with that found in LNs with histologically-confirmed, clinically significant metastases from stage III CRC patients.
This is a new and yet unproven method of lymph node sampling It may be superior to traditional methods of sampling but that needs to be proven and clincial benefit confirmed. Currently, I consider it to be investigational.
Alex Mejia andScott A Waldman Previstage™ GCC test for staging patients with colorectal cancer Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics September 2008, Vol. 8, No. 5, Pages 571-578
Traditional methods of examining lymph nodes (LNs) for metastases involve microscopically examining hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained 5µm sections of each LN. However, this method has important limitations. Previstage™ GCC Colorectal Cancer Staging Test attempts to overcome problems with sampling errors, marker specificity and persistence of expression in CRC and metastases. Using ultrasensitive quantitative RT-PCR, the assay interrogates the patient’s lymph nodes to identify levels of GCC consistent with that found in LNs with histologically-confirmed, clinically significant metastases from stage III CRC patients.
This is a new and yet unproven method of lymph node sampling It may be superior to traditional methods of sampling but that needs to be proven and clincial benefit confirmed. Currently, I consider it to be investigational.
Alex Mejia andScott A Waldman Previstage™ GCC test for staging patients with colorectal cancer Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics September 2008, Vol. 8, No. 5, Pages 571-578