Combination of serum lipids and cancer antigens as a novel marker for colon cancer diagnosis

• Published in: Lipids in health and disease Vol. 17; no. 1; p. 261
• Main Authors: Li, Tong, Qian, Yinfen, Li, Hongling, Deng, Jiusheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central 20.11.2018; BMC
• Subjects: Antigens; Biomarkers, Tumor - blood; Blood tests; CA-19-9 Antigen - blood; Cancer antigens; Carbohydrates; Carcinoembryonic antigen; Carcinoembryonic Antigen - blood; Cell adhesion & migration; Cholesterol; Colon cancer; Colonic Neoplasms - blood; Colonoscopy; Colorectal cancer; Diagnosis; Diagnostic marker; High density lipoprotein; Human subjects; Humans; Large intestine; Lipids; Lipids - blood; Lipoproteins, HDL - blood; Malignancy; Medical diagnosis; Metabolic syndrome; Mortality; Serum lipids; Surgery; Ultrasonic imaging; China; Diagnostic marker; Serum lipids; Cancer antigens; Colon cancer
• ISSN: 1476-511X; 1476-511X
• DOI: 10.1186/s12944-018-0911-5

Colon cancer is a malignancy of the large intestine with high mortality and economic burden. Recent studies reveal a new relationship between blood lipids and the risk of cancer. The presents study aims to investigate the combination of serum lipids with cancer antigens as a novel diagnostic marker for colon cancer. Two hundred of colon cancer patients or healthy subjects were recruited. Serum lipids and cancer antigens such as total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) were measured. There were significantly lower level of serum TC or HDL, and significantly higher level of serum CEA or CA19-9 in patients than in healthy subjects. Serum TC or HDL in patients with advanced colon cancer was significantly lower than the ones with early stage disease. The level of serum TC or HDL in patients after surgical removal of colon cancer was significantly higher compared to the ones before surgery, but serum CEA or CA19-9 after surgery was significantly reduced in comparison with the ones before surgery. Combined TC, HDL, CEA and CA19-9 as a diagnostic marker for colon cancer had the highest positive predictive rate in comparison with individual, two or three of the parameters. The combination of serum TC, HDL, CEA and CA19-9 can be used as an effective marker for colon cancer, and offers a novel strategy for clinical diagnosis and monitoring the disease.