BACKGROUND/AIMS: TGF-beta1 is a growth factor with wide ranging effects on proliferation, differentiation, immune suppression, apoptosis and matrix remodeling. We aimed to clarify the clinical significance of circulating levels of TGF-beta1 as a tumor marker in gastrointestinal tract cancers by comparing it to CEA across a range of parameters such as cancer type and severity. METHODOLOGY: Sera collected from patients with gastrointestinal tract cancers (32 gastric, 36 colon) and from 25 healthy volunteers were analyzed for TGF-beta1 and CEA. Relations between serum TGF-beta1 levels and tumor stage and tumor grade were also evaluated. RESULTS: Mean serum TGF-beta1 levels were higher in patients with gastric or colon cancer compared to the control group (p = 0.001). In both types of cancer there were no differences in TGF-beta1 levels associated with serosal involvement, lymph node involvement, vascular invasion, distant metastasis or tumor size. Mean serum TGF-beta1 levels were also not statistically different across histopathological tumor grades in either type of cancer. The sensitivity of TGF-beta1 was higher in patients with gastric cancer than in patients with colon cancer. TGF-beta1 had greater sensitivity than CEA in gastric cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: TGF-beta1 has higher sensitivity in gastric and colon cancers. Since it may be increased even in cancer without closed and distant metastasis, TGF-beta1 may be used as a tumor marker and combined with CEA particularly in gastric cancers.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: TGF-beta1 is a growth factor with wide ranging effects on proliferation, differentiation, immune suppression, apoptosis and matrix remodeling. We aimed to clarify the clinical significance of circulating levels of TGF-beta1 as a tumor marker in gastrointestinal tract cancers by comparing it to CEA across a range of parameters such as cancer type and severity. METHODOLOGY: Sera collected from patients with gastrointestinal tract cancers (32 gastric, 36 colon) and from 25 healthy volunteers were analyzed for TGF-beta1 and CEA. Relations between serum TGF-beta1 levels and tumor stage and tumor grade were also evaluated. RESULTS: Mean serum TGF-beta1 levels were higher in patients with gastric or colon cancer compared to the control group (p = 0.001). In both types of cancer there were no differences in TGF-beta1 levels associated with serosal involvement, lymph node involvement, vascular invasion, distant metastasis or tumor size. Mean serum TGF-beta1 levels were also not statistically different across histopathological tumor grades in either type of cancer. The sensitivity of TGF-beta1 was higher in patients with gastric cancer than in patients with colon cancer. TGF-beta1 had greater sensitivity than CEA in gastric cancerpatients. CONCLUSIONS:TGF-beta1 has higher sensitivity in gastric and colon cancers. Since it may be increased even in cancer without closed and distant metastasis, TGF-beta1 may be used as a tumor marker and combined with CEA particularly in gastric cancers.
Authors: Eric A Engels; Linda Jennings; Troy J Kemp; Anil K Chaturvedi; Ligia A Pinto; Ruth M Pfeiffer; James F Trotter; Michelle Acker; Nicholas Onaca; Goran B Klintmalm Journal: Cancer Med Date: 2015-04-27 Impact factor: 4.452