Molecular detection of p16 promoter methylation in the serum of recurrent colorectal cancer patients

• Published in: International journal of cancer Vol. 105; no. 4; pp. 491 - 493
• Main Authors: Nakayama, Hiroshi, Hibi, Kenji, Takase, Tsunenobu, Yamazaki, Taiji, Kasai, Yasushi, Ito, Katsuki, Akiyama, Seiji, Nakao, Akimasa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.07.2003; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; colorectal cancer; Colorectal Neoplasms - diagnosis; Digestive system; DNA - blood; DNA Methylation; Genes, p16; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; methylation; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - diagnosis; p16; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Human; Relapse; Rectal disease; Transcription promoter; Malignant tumor; CDKN2 gene; Colonic disease; Polymerase chain reaction; Rectum; Digestive diseases; Genetics; Intestinal disease; Serum; Colon; Diagnosis; Molecular biology; Methylation; Tumor suppressor gene
• ISSN: 0020-7136; 1097-0215
• DOI: 10.1002/ijc.11117

We previously proved that p16 promoter methylation present in the tumors of colorectal cancer patients can be detected in the serum of those same patients using methylation‐specific PCR (MSP). To seek the possibility that this technique could be applied to the monitoring of cancer recurrence, we examined the p16 methylation using MSP. We detected tumor DNA in the serum of 31 of 45 (69%) patients with recurrent colorectal cancer. No methylation was found in serum DNA of 50 patients with colorectal cancers whose corresponding tumor DNA had no methylation in p16 promoter. These results suggested that MSP might be a sensitive and useful method to detect recurrent colorectal cancer in serum. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.