title: Dual role of serum soluble E-cadherin as a biological marker of metastatic development in gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Soluble E-cadherin serum levels as a potential biological marker for gastric cancer were analysed with special consideration to clinical and pathological features.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-one healthy control subjects and 166 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled. Gastric cancer patients were classified into intestinal-type (51%) and diffuse-type (49%), according to Laurén. Soluble E-cadherin serum levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean logarithmic concentrations of soluble E-cadherin in gastric cancer patients were significantly higher than those of control subjects, with an average of 4.03 (+/- 0.32) versus 3.86 (+/- 0.24), respectively (P < 0.0001). The concentration of soluble E-cadherin was significantly higher in the intestinal-type group than in the diffuse-type group, with an average of 4.07 +/- 0.3 versus 3.98 +/- 0.34, respectively (P = 0.0494). In the intestinal-type group, concentrations of soluble E-cadherin were significantly higher in more advanced stages (stages III-IV) than in earlier stages (stages I-II), with an average of 4.13 +/- 0.29 versus 3.96 +/- 0.31, respectively (P = 0.0234). In the diffuse-type group, concentrations of soluble E-cadherin were significantly higher in localized than in metastatic gastric cancer, with an average soluble E-cadherin concentation of 4.15 +/- 0.3 versus 3.95 +/- 0.32, respectively (P = 0.0139).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum soluble E-cadherin concentrations exhibit a completely different pattern in intestinal-type and diffuse-typegastric cancer. Serum levels are increased in intestinal-type gastric cancer, especially in advanced stages, whereas in diffuse-type gastric cancer E-cadherin levels are decreased in advanced, metastasized cancer.We conclude that soluble E-cadherin concentrations should be interpreted along with Laurén classification and thus might serve as a biological marker in intestinal-type gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Institute of Pathology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Juhasz
authors.forename: M P A
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ebert
authors.forename: H U
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Röcken
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Molnar
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tulassay
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malfertheiner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins