Detection of aberrant methylation as a tumor marker in serum of patients with gastric cancer.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to detect hypermethylation in serum DNA from patients with gastric cancer at various stages and to assess the assay for early detection of primary and recurrent disease.


METHODS
Preoperative serum samples were obtained from 109 patients with gastric cancer. Blood samples were subjected to methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction analysis to determine the methylation status of the promoter region of the p16 and E-cadherin genes.


RESULTS
Forty patients (37%) showed hypermethylation of the promoter region in one or both genes (p16, 20 patients; E-cadherin, 26 patients). Of 36 patients with early-stage gastric cancers, 10 (28%) showed aberrant methylated signals. No aberrant methylation was detected in the serum DNA from 10 healthy volunteers.


CONCLUSIONS
Aberrant promoter hypermethylation may prove useful as a new serum marker for gastric cancer.
Department of Digestive Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachihirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan. ichikawa@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
Daisuke
D
Ichikawa
Hiroshi
H
Koike
Hisashi
H
Ikoma
Daito
D
Ikoma
Nobuyuki
N
Tani
Eigo
E
Otsuji
Kazuya
K
Kitamura
Hisakazu
H
Yamagishi
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D019942:Genes, p16 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm