The detection of XXXX cells in peripheral blood by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

@entity1 @entity5 @entity6831 @entity2184 @entity11442 @entity320
Both @entity2184 undergo @entity6831 . Detection of @entity11442 mRNA by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been described as an extremely sensitive way of detecting circulating viable @entity320 cells in the peripheral venous blood, and this technique may be of value in the early detection of dissemination. Also, it has been suggested that surgical manipulation of the eye, such as occurs during enucleation, can provoke @entity2184 . The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether @entity11442 mRNA is detectable in the peripheral blood of @entity1 with uveal and cutaneous @entity320 and in @entity1 with @entity2184 undergoing surgical procedures on the eye harbouring the @entity5 . Venous blood samples from 36 @entity1 diagnosed as having active @entity2184 and from six @entity1 with advanced metastatic cutaneous @entity320 were analysed. In addition, blood samples were spiked with known numbers of cells from three cell lines and four primary @entity2184 . The reported sensitivity of the technique was confirmed, with an ability to detect down to one cell per ml of blood. All 51 blood samples from the 36 @entity1 with @entity2184 were negative, and this included 20 perioperative blood samples. The test was also negative for the six @entity1 with advanced cutaneous @entity320 . There were two positives among 31 control samples analysed. This study demonstrates that there are far fewer circulating viable melanocytes than has been previously supposed in @entity1 with @entity320 and that the RT-PCR is of no clinical value in detecting metastatic @entity320 . There was no evidence for surgery causing a bolus of @entity320 cells to enter the peripheral circulation.
