title: Serum CD44 levels preceding the diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
abstract: Serum CD44 (s-CD44) concentrations were measured in sera taken from 49 individuals who were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma 0.9 to 7.2 years after taking the blood sample, and from 49 controls matched for age. The serum samples had been collected in conjunction of the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) study, which evaluated the influence of vitamin supplementation on cancer prevention. S-CD44 was measured using chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay. S-CD44 concentrations of the cases were significantly elevated before the diagnosis of lymphoma when compared to the serum levels found in the controls (median, 447 ng/mL; range, 108-780 ng/mL vs. median, 364 ng/mL; range, 53-660 ng/mL; p=0.012). Individuals who were later diagnosed with high grade lymphoma according to the Kiel classification (n=21) had significantly higher values than the controls 0.9-4.0 years before the diagnosis, but such a difference could not be detected if serum samples had been taken more than 4 years before the diagnosis. The s-CD44 levels were not significantly elevated among individuals who were later diagnosed with low grade malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n=25) as compared to their controls. The prediagnostic s-CD44 levels in cases and controls overlapped markedly, and a value higher than the highest value found among the controls (660 ng/mL) was found only in 5 (10%) samples taken from individuals who were later diagnosed with lymphoma. We conclude that serum CD44 may be elevated a few years preceding the diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but the levels overlap markedly with those found in individuals without lymphoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mäenpää
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ristamäki
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Virtamo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Franssila
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Albanes
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joensuu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000097:blood*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012907:Smoking; D012995:Solubility; D013997:Time Factors; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D019207:beta Carotene; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol