title: The diagnostic value of G-CSF measurement in the sera of colorectal cancer and adenoma patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) regulates the growth of hematopoietic progenitor cells. Cancer cells, including colorectal cancer, can produce this cytokine. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of measurement of G-CSF and classic tumor markers--carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) in the sera of colorectal cancer with adenoma patients and to determine its usefulness in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer and polyps.
  
  
  METHODS
  The serum levels of G-CSF and tumor markers were assayed in 76 colorectal cancer, 35 colorectal adenoma patients and in 65 healthy subjects. We defined the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and areas under ROC curves for the measurands.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median values of G-CSF and tumor markers were significantly higher in colorectal cancer patients than those in healthy subjects. There were significant differences in the serum levels of G-CSF between adenoma patients and healthy subjects. The concentrations of tumor markers in colorectal cancer patients were higher than those in polyps. Combined use of G-CSF with CEA improved their diagnostic sensitivity in colorectal cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measurement of G-CSF might be useful in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer patients, but not in the differentiation between colorectal cancer and polyps.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, Medical University, Białystok, Sklodowska-Curie 24 a, 15-276 Bialystok, Poland. mroczko@amb.edu.pl <mroczko@amb.edu.pl>
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mroczko
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Groblewska
authors.forename: Urszula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wereszczynska-Siemiatkowska
authors.forename: Bogusław
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kedra
authors.forename: Marzena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Konopko
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szmitkowski
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor