Detection of decay-accelerating factor in stool specimens of patients with colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Colorectal cancers have an increased expression of decay-accelerating factor (DAF). The aim of this study was to determine whether stool specimens of patients with colorectal cancer contain increased amounts of DAF.


METHODS
DAF was measured using an immunoassay in the stool specimens of 40 persons with colorectal cancer, 18 with colorectal adenomatous polyps, 13 with upper gastrointestinal cancer, and 41 without gastrointestinal disease.


RESULTS
Stool DAF concentrations in patients with colorectal cancer (0-9.8 ng/g stool; median, 1.6 ng/g) were significantly higher than those in patients with adenoma (0-6.4 ng/g; median, 0 ng/g) (P < 0.05), patients with upper gastrointestinal cancer (0-3.1 ng/g; median, 0 ng/g) (P < 0.05), and subjects without gastrointestinal disease (0-3.4 ng/g; median, 0 ng/g) (P < 0.01). Resection of colorectal cancers caused a marked decrease in stool DAF concentrations. The stool DAF test was positive in a substantial portion of patients with colorectal cancer whose tumors were small ( < 2 cm), at an early TNM stage, or unassociated with fecal occult blood positivity. The sensitivity of the test for colorectal cancer was 55%, and the specificity was 85%.


CONCLUSIONS
The measurement of stood DAF deserves evaluation as a test for detection of colorectal cancer.
Mizuno
M
M
First Department of Internal Medicine, Okayama University Medical School, Japan.
Nakagawa
M
M
Uesu
T
T
Inoue
H
H
Inaba
T
T
Ueki
T
T
Nasu
J
J
Okada
H
H
Fujita
T
T
Tsuji
T
T
D011125:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D018958:CD55 Antigens; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D004379:Duodenal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009780:Occult Blood; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism
D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018958:CD55 Antigens; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins