Objective: To detect the gene of micrometastasis in bone marrow of patients with colorectal cancer.
Methods: PCR-SSCP/silver stain technique was used to find out the metastatic cancer cells in 51 bone marrow samples in different time.
Results: The total positive rate of mutations of p53 and K-ras in bone marrow was 37.25% before operation. The incidence of mutations was obviously correlated with Duke's stage and lymphatic metastasis. After postoperative chemotherapy mutation in 11 patients turned to be negative.
Conclusions: Detection of micrometastasis in bone marrow may contribute to early diagnosis of blood stream metastasis of colorectal cancer.