Association between serum carcinoembryonic antigen and endothelial cell adhesion molecules in colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the behaviour of pre-surgical serum levels of soluble (s)E-selectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM) in patients with colorectal cancer, and to evaluate their possible correlation with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), pro-inflammatory cytokines and clinicopathological features with respect to their prognostic value in predicting metastatic disease.


METHODS
Pre-surgical serum levels of sE-selectin, sVCAM, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1beta, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and CEA were measured in 194 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma, 40 patients with benign colorectal diseases and 59 healthy subjects.


RESULTS
sE-selectin, sVCAM, TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with colorectal cancer compared to either healthy subjects or patients with benign disease. Positive rates of sE-selectin, sVCAM and TNF-alpha levels were significantly associated with Dukes' stage D colorectal cancer, and all three variables were independently associated to the presence of distant metastases. Positive sE-selectin, sVCAM and TNF-alpha levels were significantly associated to CEA. TNF-alpha and CEA levels were independently related to the presence of positive levels of sE-selectin and/or sVCAM.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that the host inflammatory response to cancer cells, and/or their released products (i.e. CEA), might be responsible (via cytokine release) for the elevation in circulating adhesion molecules in patients with colorectal cancer.
Roselli
Mario
M
Department of Surgery, Medical Oncology, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Rome, Italy.
Guadagni
Fiorella
F
Martini
Francesca
F
Spila
Antonella
A
Mariotti
Sabrina
S
D'Alessandro
Roberta
R
Aloe
Simona
S
Gazzaniga
Pier Paolo
PP
Basili
Stefania
S
Cosimelli
Maurizio
M
Ferroni
Patrizia
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha