Detection of circulating tumor cells with CK20 RT-PCR is an independent negative prognostic marker in colon cancer patients – a prospective study

Table 2 Number of patients with CK20 positive tumor cells and association with patients’ characteristics

Characteristics	category	CK20+ BL	Detection rate (%)	P	CK20+BM	Detection rate (%)	P
All		112	37.4	-	81	35.7	-
Sex	male	60	35.7	0.50	42	31.3	0.101
Sex	female	52	39.7		39	41.9
Age [years]	< 70	62	38.7	0.636	38	32.7	0.216
Age [years]	> 70	50	35.9		43	39.8
UICC stage	I	28	32.2	0.017	20	31.7	0.633
	II	32	34.0		28	37.3
	III	29	36.2		20	33.3
	IV	23	60.5		13	44.8
pT	T1	9	21.4	0.019	7	25.9	0.633
	T2	29	41.4		21	38.8
	T3	58	36.5		44	35.7
	T4	16	57.1		9	39.1
pN	N0	66	34.7	0.134	51	34.9	0.646
	N1	24	36.9		20	40.8
	N2	22	50.0		10	31.2
Grading	G1	7	35.0	0.280	5	33.3	0.252
	G2	84	35.6		60	33.5
	G3	21	48.8		16	48.4
Liver Metastases	M0	89	35.1	0.002	68	34.3	0.271
Liver Metastases	M1	23	62.1		13	44.8

ISSN: 1471-2407