Real time shear wave elastography in chronic liver diseases:Accuracy for predicting liver fibrosis,in comparison with serum markers

AIM: To evaluate the correlation between liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by real-time shear wave elastography (SWE) and liver fibrosis stage and the accuracy of LSM for predicting significant and advanced fibrosis, in comparison with serum markers.

Matrix-derived serum markers in monitoring liver fibrosis in children with chronic hepatitis B treated with interferon alpha

To evaluate prospectively 4 selected serum fibrosis markers （tenascin, hyaluronan, collagen Ⅵ, TIMP-1） before, during and 12 mo after IFN treatment of children with chronic hepatitis B. METHODS： Forty-seven consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis B （range 4-16 years, mean 8 years） underwent IFN treatment （3 MU tiw for 20 wk）. Fibrosis stage and inflammation grade were assessed in a blinded fashion before and 12 mo after end of treatment. Serum fibrosis markers were determined using automated assays.RESULTS： IFN treatment improved histological inflammation but did not change fibrosis in the whole group or in subgroups. Only hyaluronan correlated significantly with histological fibrosis（r = 0.3383, P = 0.022）. Basal fibrosis markers did not differ between responders （42.5%） and nonresponders（57.5%）. During IFN treatment only serum tenascin decreased significantly in the whole group and in nonresponders. When pretreatment values were compared to values 12 mo after therapy, TIMP-1 increased in all patients and in nonresponders, and hyaluronan decreased in all patients and in responders.CONCLUSION： Tenascin reflects hepatic fibrogenesis and inflammation which decreases during IFN treatment of children with chronic hepatitis B. TIMP-1 correlates with nonresponse and hyaluronan with histological fibrosis.

Using SELDI-TOF-MS technology for screening serum markers of hepatic carcinoma in rats

Objective： To identify potential serum markers of hepatic carcinoma in rats through Surface-Enhanced Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry（SELDI-TOF-MS） Technology. Methods： A rat model of hepatic carcinoma was established. The serum samples of hepatic carcinoma and normal rats were analyzed via SELDI-TOF-MS Technology. The changes of the serum protein fingerprint patterns were observed between the experimental group of hepatic carcinoma and the controls. The analysis was conducted by statistical software-Biomarker Wizard. Results： Fifty-six protein peaks in the serums were found. Within m/z 0-20 000, the protein peaks of rrdz 1158, 8 835 and 15 302 of hepatic carcinoma serums were obviously higher in the rat models compared with those in the controls（P 〈 0.01）. Conclusion： Three peaks were considered as potential biomarkers according to the serum protein fingerprint patterns of the hepatic carcinoma group and the control group.

Elevated soluble 4-1BB is associated with serum markers of hepatitis B virus in patients with chronic hepatitis B

BACKGROUND Previous studies have suggested that the costimulatory molecule 4-1BB plays pivotal roles in regulating immunity during chronic viral infection.However,up to now,there are few studies about 4-1BB in chronic hepatitis B(CHB).AIM To clarify this issue,we report our comprehensive study results on the expression levels of 4-1BB in patients with CHB.METHODS From September 2018 to June 2019,a total of 64 patients with CHB were recruited from the Department of Hepatology,The First Hospital of Jilin University.Peripheral blood samples were collected from 52 treatment-naïve and 12 entecavir-treated patients with CHB as well as 37 healthy donors(including 24 healthy adults and 13 healthy children).The levels of soluble 4-1BB(s4-1BB)in plasma were measured by ELISA.4-1BB mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was detected by real-time quantitative PCR.RESULTS The s4-1BB levels in the plasma of patients with CHB were significantly higher than those in healthy adults(94.390±7.393 ng/mL vs 8.875±0.914 ng/mL,P<0.001).In addition,the s4-1BB level in plasma was significantly increased in patients with a higher viral load and a disease flare up.However,there were no significant differences between treatment-naïve and entecavir-treated patients.Interestingly,among treatment-naïve patients with CHB,the levels of s4-1BB in plasma had a significant positive correlation with hepatitis B surface antigen,hepatitis B virus DNA,hepatitis B e antigen,and triglyceride levels(r=0.748,P<0.001;r=0.406,P=0.004;r=0.356,P=0.019 and r=-0.469,P=0.007,respectively).The 4-1BB mRNA expression was higher in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with CHB than in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy adults,but the difference was not statistically significant.CONCLUSION These results suggest that the levels of s4-1BB may be associated with pathogenesis of hepatitis B virus and therefore may be a promising biomarker for disease progression.

Serum tumor markers (carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19-9, carbohydrate antigen 72-4, carbohydrate antigen 24-2, ferritin) and gastric cancer prognosis correlation

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer is a kind of malignant tumor which is prevalent all over the world.Although some progress has been made in the treatment of gastric cancer,its prognosis is still not optimistic,so it is of great significance to find reliable prog-nostic indicators to guide the treatment and management of patients with gastric cancer.AIM To explore the relationship between serum levels of five biomarkers[carcinoem-bryonic antigen(CEA),carbohydrate antigen(CA)19-9,CA72-4,CA24-2,and ferritin]and prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.METHODS This study included 200 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma,and conducted an in-depth analysis of their baseline characteristics,relationship between tumor markers and staging,and prognosis.The study found that CA19-9 has a signi-ficant correlation with tumor stage,the average levels of CA24-2,CEA,CA72-4 and ferritin were slightly increased disregarding the stage of tumor.Survival analysis showed that increases in CEA,CA19-9,CA24-2,and ferritin were all associated with shortened overall survival of patients.Further multivariate ana-lysis revealed that elevated serum CA72-4 levels were an inde-pendent adverse prognostic factor.RESULTS This study reveals that there is a significant correlation between the expression levels of serum tumor markers CEA,CA19-9,CA72-4,CA24-2 and ferritin in patients with gastric cancer and prognosis,and can be used as important indicators for prognostic evaluation of gastric cancer.In particular,markers that appear abnormally elevated initially may help identify gastric cancer patients with poor prognosis.CONCLUSION Serum CEA and CA19-9 play an important role in the prognosis assessment of gastric cancer,and are effective tools to guide clinical practice and optimize individualized treatment strategies for gastric cancer patients.

Postoperative serum tumor markers-based nomogram predicting early recurrence for patients undergoing radical resections of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND Early recurrence(ER)is associated with dismal outcomes in patients undergoing radical resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC).Approaches for predicting ER will help clinicians in implementing individualized adjuvant therapies.Postoperative serum tumor markers(STMs)are indicators of tumor progression and may improve current systems for predicting ER.AIM To establish an improved nomogram based on postoperative STMs to predict ER in PDAC.METHODS We retrospectively enrolled 282 patients who underwent radical resection for PDAC at our institute between 2019 and 2021.Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses of variables with or without postoperative STMs,were performed to identify independent risk factors for ER.A nomogram was constructed based on the independent postoperative STMs.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to evaluate the area under the curve(AUC)of the nomogram.Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier survival plot and log-rank test.RESULTS Postoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and carcinoembryonic antigen levels,preoperative carbohydrate antigen 125 levels,perineural invasion,and pTNM stage III were independent risk factors for ER in PDAC.The postoperative STMs-based nomogram(AUC:0.774,95%CI:0.713-0.835)had superior accuracy in predicting ER compared with the nomogram without postoperative STMs(AUC:0.688,95%CI:0.625-0.750)(P=0.016).Patients with a recurrence nomogram score(RNS)>1.56 were at high risk for ER,and had significantly poorer recurrence-free survival[median:3.08 months,interquartile range(IQR):1.80-8.15]than those with RNS≤1.56(14.00 months,IQR:6.67-24.80),P<0.001).CONCLUSION The postoperative STMs-based nomogram improves the predictive accuracy of ER in PDAC,stratifies the risk of ER,and identifies patients at high risk of ER for tailored adjuvant therapies.

Efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with thalidomide and S-1 for esophageal carcinoma and its influence on serum tumor markers

BACKGROUND Although the current conventional treatment strategies for esophageal carcinoma(EC)have been proven effective,they are often accompanied by serious adverse events.Therefore,it is still necessary to continue to explore new therapeutic strategies for EC to improve the clinical outcome of patients.AIM To elucidate the clinical efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT)with thalidomide(THAL)and S-1(tegafur,gimeracil,and oteracil potassium capsules)in the treatment of EC as well as its influence on serum tumor markers(STMs).METHODS First,62 patients with EC treated at the Zibo 148 Hospital between November 2019 and November 2022 were selected and grouped according to the received treatment.Among these,30 patients undergoing CCRT with cis-platinum and 5-fluorouracil were assigned to the control group(Con),and 32 patients receiving CCRT with THAL and S-1 were assigned to the research group(Res).Second,inter-group comparisons were carried out with respect to curative efficacy,incidence of drug toxicities,STMs[carbohydrate antigen 125(CA125)and macrophage inflammatory protein-3α(MIP-3α)],angiogenesis-related indicators[vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF);VEGF receptor-1(VEGFR-1);basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF);angiogenin-2(Ang-2)],and quality of life(QoL)[QoL core 30(QLQ-C30)]after one month of treatment.RESULTS The analysis showed no statistical difference in the overall response rate and disease control rate between the two patient cohorts;however,the incidences of grade I–II myelosuppression and gastrointestinal reactions were significantly lower in the Res than in the Con.Besides,the post-treatment CA125,MIP-3α,VEGF,VEGFR-1,bFGF,and Ang-2 Levels in the Res were markedly lower compared with the pre-treatment levels and the corresponding post-treatment levels in the Con.Furthermore,more evident improvements in QLQ-C30 scores from the dimensions of physical,role,emotional,and social functions were determined in the Res.CONCLUSION The above results demonstrate the effectiveness of THAL+S-1 CCRT for EC,which contributes to mild side effects and significant reduction of CA125,MIP-3α,VEGF,VEGFR-1,bFGF,and Ang-2 Levels,thus inhibiting tumors from malignant progression and enhancing patients’QoL.

Impact of oxaliplatin and trastuzumab combination therapy on tumor markers and T lymphocyte subsets for advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Advanced gastric cancer(AGC)remains a challenging malignancy with poor prognosis.The combination of oxaliplatin and trastuzumab has shown promising results in AGC treatment.This study aimed to investigate the effects of oxaliplatin and trastuzumab combination therapy on serum tumor markers and T lymphocyte subsets in patients with AGC and to explore their potential as predictive biomarkers for treatment response.AIM To investigate the impact of oxaliplatin and trastuzumab combination therapy on serum markers and T cell subsets in patients with AGC.METHODS This prospective study enrolled 60 patients with AGC.All patients received oxaliplatin(130 mg/m^(2),every 3 weeks)and trastuzumab(8 mg/kg loading dose,followed by 6 mg/kg every 3 weeks)for six cycles.Serum carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),cancer antigen 19-9(CA19-9),and cancer antigen 72-4(CA72-4)were measured before and after treatment.T-lymphocyte subsets,including CD3+,CD4+,CD8+,and CD4+/CD8+ratios,were also evaluated.The clinical response was assessed using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1.RESULTS After six cycles of treatment,the CEA,CA19-9,and CA72-4 serum levels significantly decreased compared to baseline levels(P<0.001).The percentages of CD3+and CD4+T lymphocytes increased significantly(P<0.05),whereas the percentage of CD8+T lymphocytes decreased(P<0.05).The CD4+/CD8+ratio also significantly increased after treatment(P<0.05).Patients with a higher decrease in serum tumor markers(≥50%reduction)and a higher increase in CD4+/CD8+ratio(≥1.5-fold)showed better clinical response rates(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Oxaliplatin and trastuzumab combination therapy effectively reduced serum tumor marker levels and modulated T lymphocyte subsets in patients with AGC.Combination therapy not only has a direct antitumor effect,but also enhances the immune response in patients with AGC.Serum tumor markers and T lymphocyte subsets may serve as potential predictive biomarkers for treatment response in patients with AGC receiving combination therapy.

Laparoscopic vs open surgery for gastric cancer: Assessing time, recovery, complications, and markers

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer(GC)is one of the most common cancers worldwide.Morbidity and mortality have increased in recent years,making it an urgent issue to address.La-paroscopic radical surgery(LRS)is a crucial method for treating patients with GC;However,its influence on tumor markers is still under investigation.The data of 194 patients treated at Chongqing University Cancer Hospital bet-ween January 2018 and January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients who underwent traditional open surgery and LRS were assigned to the control(n=90)and observation groups(n=104),respectively.Independent sample t-tests andχ2 tests were used to compare the two groups based on clinical efficacy,changes in tumor marker levels after treatment,clinical data,and the incidence of posto-perative complications.To investigate the association between tumor marker levels and clinical efficacy in patients with GC,three-year recurrence rates in the two groups were compared.RESULTS Patients in the observation group had a shorter duration of operation,less in-traoperative blood loss,an earlier postoperative eating time,and a shorter hospital stay than those in the control group(P<0.05).No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding the number of lymph node dissections(P>0.05).After treatment,the overall response rate in the control group was significantly lower than that in the observation group(P=0.001).Furthermore,after treatment,the levels of carbohydrate antigen 19-9,cancer antigen 72-4,carcinoembryonic antigen,and cancer antigen 125 decreased significantly.The observation group also exhibited a significantly lower incidence rate of postoperative complications compared to the control group(P<0.001).Additionally,the two groups did not significantly differ in terms of three-year survival and recurrence rates(P>0.05).CONCLUSION LRS effectively treats early gastric cancer by reducing intraoperative bleeding,length of hospital stays,and postoperative complications.It also significantly lowers tumor marker levels,thus improving the short-term prognosis of the disease.

Serum tumor markers for detection of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） is one of the most frequent malignant tumors and is the second most common cause of cancer death in China. Therefore, it is very important to detect this disease and the recurrence at its earlier period. Serum tumor markers, as the effective method for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma for a long time, could be divided into 4 categories： oncofetal antigens and glycoprotein antigens; enzymes and isoenzymes; genes; and cytokines. Serum alpha fetoprotein （AFP） is the most widely used tumor marker in detecting patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and has been proven to have capability of prefiguring the prognosis. However, it has been indicated that AFP-L3 and DCP excel AFP in differentiating hepatocellular carcinoma from nonmalignant hepatopathy and detecting small hepatocellular carcinoma. Some tumor markers, such as human cervical cancer oncogene and human telomerase reverse transcriptase mRNA, have also been indicated to have higher accuracies than AFP. Furthermore, some other tumor markers, such as glypican-3, gamma-glutamyl transferase Ⅱ, alpha-Ifucosidase, transforming growth factor-beta1, tumorspecific growth factor, have been indicated to be available supplementaries to AFP in the detection. AFP mRNA has been shown to correlate with the metastasis and recurrence of HCC, and it may be the most useful marker to prefigure the prognosis. Some other markers, such as gamma-glutamyl transferase mRNA, vascular endothelial growth factor, and interleukin-8, could also be used as available prognostic indicators, and the simultaneous determination of AFP and these markers may detect the recurrence of HCC at its earlier period.

Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, diabetes mellitus and serum nutritional markers after acute pancreatitis

AIM: To investigate impairment and clinical significance of exocrine and endocrine pancreatic function in patients after acute pancreatitis (AP).

Relationship of serum GDF11 levels with bone mineral density and bone turnover markers in postmenopausal Chinese women

Growth differentiation factor 11 （GDF11） is an important circulating factor that regulates aging. However, the role of GDF11 in bone metabolism remains unclear. The present study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between serum GDF11 level, bone mass, and bone turnover markers in postmenopausal Chinese women. Serum GDF11 level, bone turnover biochemical markers, and bone mineral density （BMD） were determined in 169 postmenopausal Chinese women （47-78 years old）. GDF11 serum levels increased with aging. There were negative correlations between GDF11 and BMD at the various skeletal sites. After adjusting for age and body mass index （BMI）, the correlations remained statistically significant. In the multiple linear stepwise regression analysis, age or years since menopause, BMI, GDF11, and estradiol were independent predictors of BMD. A significant negative correlation between GDF11 and bone alkaline phosphatase （BAP） was identified and remained significant after adjusting for age and BMI. No significant correlation was noted between cross-linked N-telopeptides of type I collagen （NTX） and GDF11. In conclusion, GDF11 is an independent negative predictor of BMD and correlates with a biomarker of bone formation, BAP, in postmenopausal Chinese women. GDF11 potentially exerts a negative effect on bone mass by regulating bone formation.

Validation of serum tumor biomarkers in predicting advanced cystic mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas

BACKGROUND Early detection of advanced cystic mucinous neoplasms[(A-cMNs),defined as high-grade dysplasia or malignancy]of the pancreas is of great significance.As a simple and feasible detection method,serum tumor markers(STMs)may be used to predict advanced intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms(IPMNs)and mucinous cystic neoplasms(MCNs).However,there are few studies on the usefulness of STMs other than carbohydrate antigen(CA)19-9 for early detection of A-cMNs.AIM To study the ability of five STMs-CA19-9,carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),CA125,CA724,and CA242 to predict A-cMNs and distinguish IPMNs and MCNs.METHODS We mainly measured the levels of each STM in patients pathologically diagnosed with cMNs.The mean levels of STMs and the number of A-cMN subjects with a higher STM level than the cutoff were compared respectively to identify the ability of STMs to predict A-cMNs and distinguish MCNs from IPMNs.A receiver operating characteristic curve with the area under curve(AUC)was also created to identify the performance of the five STMs.RESULTS A total of 187 patients with cMNs were identified and 72 of them showed AcMNs.We found that CA19-9 exhibited the highest sensitivity(SE)(54.2%)and accuracy(76.5%)and a moderate ability(AUC=0.766)to predict A-cMNs.In predicting high-grade dysplasia IPMNs,the SE of CA19-9 decreased to 38.5%.The ability of CEA,CA125,and CA724 to predict A-cMNs was low(AUC=0.651,0.583,and 0.618,respectively).The predictive ability of CA242 was not identified.The combination of STMs improved the SE to 62.5%.CA125 may be specific to the diagnosis of advanced MCNs.CONCLUSION CA19-9 has a moderate ability,and CEA,CA125,and CA724 have a low ability to predict A-cMNs.The combination of STM testing could improve SE in predicting A-cMNs.

The combined detection of carcinoembryonic antigen,carcinogenic antigen 125,and carcinogenic antigen 19-9 in colorectal cancer patients

BACKGROUND Hepatic metastases are common and difficult to treat after colorectal cancer(CRC)surgery.The predictive value of carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),cancer antigen(CA)125 and CA19-9 combined tests for liver metastasis is unclear.AIM To evaluate predictive value of combined tests for CEA,CA125,and CA19-9 levels in patients with liver metastases of CRC.METHODS The retrospective study included patients with CRC alone(50 cases)and patients with CRC combined with liver metastases(50 cases)who were hospitalized between January 2021 and January 2023.Serum CEA,CA125 and CA19-9 levels were compared between the two groups,and binary logistic regression was used to analyze the predictive value of the combination of these tumor markers in liver metastasis.In addition,we performed receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis to assess its diagnostic accuracy.RESULTS The results showed that the serum CEA,CA125 and CA19-9 levels in the CRC with liver metastasis group were significantly higher than those in the CRC alone group.Specifically,the average serum CEA level in the CRC with liver metastasis group was 162.03±810.01 ng/mL,while that in the CRC alone group was 5.71±9.76 ng/mL;the average serum CA125 levels were 43.47±83.52 U/mL respectively.and 13.5±19.68 U/mL;the average serum CA19-9 levels were 184.46±473.13 U/mL and 26.55±43.96 U/mL respectively.In addition,binary logistic regression analysis showed that CA125 was significant in predicting CRC liver metastasis(P<0.05).ROC curve analysis results showed that the areas under the ROC curves of CEA,CA125 and CA19-9 were 0.607,0.692 and 0.586.CONCLUSION These results suggest that combined detection of these tumor markers may help early detection and intervention of CRC liver metastasis,thereby improving patient prognosis.

Concordance of non-invasive mechanical and serum tests for liver fibrosis evaluation in chronic hepatitis C

AIM To determine the sensitivity and specificity of liver stiffness measurement(LSM) and serum markers(SM) for liver fibrosis evaluation in chronic hepatitis C.METHODS Between 2012 and 2014,81 consecutive hepatitis C virus(HCV) patients had METAVIR score from liver biopsy compared with concurrent results from LSM [transient elastography(TE) [FibroS can~/ARFI technology(Virtual Touch~)] and SM [FIB-4/aspartate aminotransferase-toplatelet ratio index(APRI)].The diagnostic performance of these tests was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves.The optimal cut-off levels of each test were chosen to define fibrosis stages F ≥ 2,F ≥ 3 and F = 4.The Kappa index set the concordance analysis.RESULTS Fifty point six percent were female and the median age was 51 years(30-78).Fifty-six patients(70%) weretreatment-na?ve.The optimal cut-off values for predicting F ≥ 2 stage fibrosis assessed by TE were 6.6 kP a,for acoustic radiation force impulse(ARFI) 1.22 m/s,for APRI 0.75 and for FIB-4 1.47.For F ≥ 3 TE was 8.9 kP a,ARFI was 1.48 m/s,APRI was 0.75,and FIB-4 was 2.For F = 4,TE was 12.2 kP a,ARFI was 1.77 m/s,APRI was 1.46,and FIB-4 was 3.91.The APRI could not distinguish between F2 and F3,P = 0.92.The negative predictive value for F = 4 for TE and ARFI was 100%.Kappa index values for F ≥ 3 METAVIR score for TE,ARFI and FIB-4 were 0.687,0.606 and 0.654,respectively.This demonstrates strong concordance between all three screening methods,and moderate to strong concordance between them and APRI(Kappa index = 0.507).CONCLUSION Given the costs and accessibility of LSM methods,and the similarity with the outcomes of SM,we suggest that FIB-4 as well as TE and ARFI may be useful indicators of the degree of liver fibrosis.This is of particular importance to developing countries.

Role of serum interleukin-18 as a prognostic factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM:To determine whether serum interleukin-18 (IL-18) levels correlated with clinicopathologic features and prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS:Serum IL-18,IL-6 and IL-12 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) from 70 patients with HCC and 10 healthy controls. RESULTS:Serum IL-18,IL-6 and IL-12 levels of patients with HCC were significantly higher that those of the controls. The levels of IL-18 correlated significantly with the presence of venous invasion and advanced tumor stages classified by Okuda's criteria. Patients with high serum IL-18 levels (≥ 105 pg/mL) had a poorer survival than those with low serum IL-18 levels (< 105 pg/mL) (4 and 11 mo,respectively,P = 0.015). Multivariate analyses showed that serum IL-18 level,but not IL-6 and IL-12 levels,was a significant and independent prognostic factor of survival. CONCLUSION:These findings demonstrate that serum IL-8 may a useful biological marker of tumor invasiveness and an independent prognostic factor of survival for patients with HCC. Thus,the detailed mechanisms of IL-18 involving in tumor progression should be further investigated.

2017 Chinese expert consensus on the clinical application ofserum marker for thyroid cancer

In recent years, the clinical incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing year by year, and its risk assessment and clinical management methods have also been accordingly modified and constantly improved. There are great differences between the clinical diagnostic and therapeutic modes and disease management of thyroid cancer employed by various medical institutions in China, particularly with regard to the clinical application of serum marker of thyroid cancer. To this end, the China Anti-Cancer Association Thyroid Cancer Specialized Committee Chinese Association of Thyroid Oncology organized this compilation of ExpertConsensus on Clinical Application of Serum Marker of Thyroid Cancer to help and impel relevant clinical institutions and professionals to standardize clinical diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of thyroid cancer, and to properly utilize the serum marker for scientific auxiliary clinical diagnosis and assessment of thyroid cancer before and after operation.

Significance of serum carcinoembryonic antigen in metastatic breast cancer patients:A prospective study

BACKGROUND Carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)is an important serum tumour marker with a substantial role in diagnosis and monitoring of various solid tumours.About 36%-70%of breast cancers have elevated serum CEA.And the available studies show discrepancy in addressing the prognostic significance of CEA in advanced breast cancer.AIM To estimate the serum CEA level in our metastatic breast cancer patients and correlate it with response to treatment and clinical outcome.METHODS This was a prospective clinical study conducted on 50 metastatic breast cancer patients treated at breast clinic,with newly diagnosed metastatic breast cancer planned for palliative chemotherapy,targeted therapy,and hormonal treatment.We estimated the proportion of patients with elevated serum CEA level at baseline and after palliative treatment and also studied the association of serum CEA levels with known prognostic factors.The response to treatment was correlated with the serum CEA levels in the context of responders and nonresponders.RESULTS The median pre-treatment and post-treatment CEA levels were 7.9(1.8-40.7)ng/mL and 4.39(1.4-12.15)ng/mL,respectively,in the whole study population(P=0.032).No statistically significant difference was seen in baseline serum CEA between responders and non-responders.Even in the luminal group,pretreatment serum CEA was not a predictor of response,but post-treatment CEA was a significant predictor of tumour progression.In patients with liver and lung metastases,post-treatment CEA level difference was not statistically significant in both responders and non-responders though the values were higher in nonresponders.Among those with bone metastases,69.5%had elevated post-treatment serum CEA,and only 37.5%had elevated serum CEA in those with no bone metastases.CONCLUSION Elevated post-treatment serum CEA levels are associated with disease progression and poor response to therapy.Persistently elevated post-treatment serum CEA levels are significantly associated with bone metastases.Elevated serum CEA and hormonal status are significant predictors of treatment response.

sFRP-4, a potential novel serum marker for chronic hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND：The current methods used for diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma（HCC）are unsatisfactory.Here,we assessed the serum levels of secreted frizzled related protein 4（s FRP-4）for diagnosing HCC in patients infected with chronic hepatitis B（CHB）.METHODS：In 272 patients with CHB enrolled,142 were pa tients with HCC.Thirty-three healthy subjects were recruited as healthy controls.The CHB patients were assigned to a test group or a validation group based on the time of enrollment. Human antibody arrays were used to screen 15 patients （8 CHB-related HCC patients, 7 CHB patients） for serum mark- ers. Four markers and one candidate marker were assessed in the test group and validation group, respectively. RESULTS： Human antibody assays indicated that the serum levels of sFRP-4 in HCC patients were significantly higher than those in CHB patients （P〈0,05）. Additionally, serum sFRP-4 levels were significantly higher in the HCC patients than those in the non-HCC patients in both test group （79.7 vs 41.3 ng/mL; P〈0.001） and validation group （89.0 vs 39.0 ng/mL; P〈0.001）. Areas under the Receiver Operating Charac- teristic curves （AUCs） for alpha-fetoprotein （AFP） and sFRP-4 were similar in both test group and validation group. In the test group, the combination of sFRP-4 （a sensitivity of 94.4%, a specificity of 60.5% at 46.4 ng/mL） and AFP （a sensitivity of 75.0%, a specificity of 87.2% at 11.3 ng/mL） showed better performance for diagnosing HCC （a sensitivity of 79.2% and a specificity of 95.3%）. The AUC for combined sFRP-4 and AFP increased to 0.941 （95% CI： 0.908-0.975）, and similar results were seen in the validation group. CONCLUSION： sFRP-4 is a candidate serum marker for diagnosing HCC in CHB patients, and the combination of sFRP-4 with AFP may improve the diagnostic accuracy of HCC.

Overview of angiogenesis and oxidative stress in cancer

Neoplasms can be considered as a group of aberrant cells that need more vascular supply to fulfill all their functions.Therefore,they promote angiogenesis through the same neovascularization pathway used physiologically.Angiogenesis is a process characterized by a heterogeneous distribution of oxygen caused by the tumor and oxidative stress;the latter being one of the most powerful stimuli of angiogenesis.As a result of altered tumor metabolism due to hypoxia,acidosis occurs.The angiogenic process and oxidative stress can be detected by measuring serum and tissue biomarkers.The study of the mechanisms underlying angiogenesis and oxidative stress could lead to the identification of new biomarkers,ameliorating the selection of patients with neoplasms and the prediction of their response to possible anti-tumor therapies.In particular,in the treatment of patients with similar clinical tumor phenotypes but different prognoses,the new biomarkers could be useful.Moreover,they may lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying drug resistance.Experimental studies show that blocking the vascular supply results in antiproliferative activity in vivo in neuroendocrine tumor cells,which require a high vascular supply.