High-molecular-mass alkaline phosphatase as a tumor marker for colorectal cancer: comparison of two test methods.
We measured high-molecular-mass alkaline phosphatase (HiMwALP) in serum samples from patients with colorectal cancer by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and by column chromatography on diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-cellulose. Determination of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) by an enzyme immunoassay, a frequently used cancer assessment method, was used for comparison. We studied patients with primary colorectal cancer (n = 72), using others with hemorrhoids (n = 38) for a comparison group. HiMwALP activities twice those of pooled normal sera were adopted as cutoff values. The diagnostic sensitivity of the PAGE method for 72 colorectal cancer patients was 63% vs 36% for the DEAE method and 50% for the CEA method. The diagnostic specificities of the PAGE, DEAE, and CEA methods were 89%, 79%, and 95%, respectively. Using both HiMwALP (PAGE method) and CEA for the detection of primary colorectal cancer increased the sensitivity to 72% but decreased specificity to 87%.
Wei
J S
JS
Laboratory of Clinical Enzymology, School of Medical Technology, Chang Gung Medical College, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Chung
N C
NC
Wei
L L
LL
Tzeng
W F
WF
Liu
T Z
TZ
Wang
J Y
JY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood; D002848:Chromatography, DEAE-Cellulose; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D006484:Hemorrhoids / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase