RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 No evidence of tumour cells in blood of patients with glioma JF Molecular Pathology JO Mol Pathol FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists SP 187 OP 189 DO 10.1136/mp.56.3.187 VO 56 IS 3 A1 Böhm, C A1 Wassmann, H A1 Paulus, W YR 2003 UL http://mp.bmj.com/content/56/3/187.abstract AB Background: Although clinically apparent systemic metastases of gliomas are very rare, reports of gliomas developing in recipient’s transplanted organs have suggested that haematogenous spread might be more common. Methods: This report describes a newly developed, sensitive real time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of mRNA encoding glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Blood from 10 patients with astrocytoma and 10 patients with glioblastoma was analysed. Results: No GFAP mRNA was detected. Conclusions: These results suggest that even subclinical metastases are very rare and are probably restricted to distinct subsets of glioma.