title: Methylation changes in faecal DNA: a marker for colorectal cancer screening?
abstract: DNA methylation is a common molecular alteration in colorectal cancer cells. We report an assessment of faecal DNA from patients with colorectal cancer and controls to determine the feasibility, sensitivity, and specificity of this approach. By use of MethyLight analysis of faecal DNA from three independent sets of patients, we identified SFRP2 methylation as a sensitive single DNA-based marker for identification of colorectal cancer in stool samples (sensitivity 90% [CI 56-100] and specificity 77% [46-95] in the training set [n=23]; sensitivity 77% [46-95] and specificity 77% [46-95] in an independent test set [n=26]). Whether a combination of genetic and epigenetic markers will identify colorectal cancer at an early stage remains to be shown.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Transplant Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Hannes M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oberwalder
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fiegl
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morandell
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goebel
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zitt
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mühlthaler
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ofner
authors.forename: Raimund
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Margreiter
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Widschwendter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000094742:Secreted Frizzled-Related Proteins
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005819:Genetic Markers; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011506:Proteins; C109618:SFRP2 protein, human; D000094742:Secreted Frizzled-Related Proteins