Combined detection of CEA, CK-19 and c-met mRNAs in peripheral blood: a highly sensitive panel for potential molecular diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Detection of tumor-related mRNA in blood has become a potential cancer diagnostic approach. However, the sensitivity of single-marker assays is not high enough for clinical applications. The present study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a multimarker panel for molecular diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin 19 (CK-19), c-met and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) B1 mRNAs were quantified by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in 34 tumor tissues and 69 peripheral blood samples of NSCLC patients.


RESULTS
All four markers displayed high overexpression rates (range 82.3-97.1%) in NSCLC tumors. When used as single markers in blood for NSCLC diagnosis, CEA, CK-19, c-met and hnRNP B1 could only reach sensitivities of 52.2, 50.7, 42 and 17.4%, respectively. However, the sensitivity was enhanced up to 85.5% when CEA, CK-19 and c-met were combined in a 3-marker panel. Moreover, the expression of c-met and hnRNP B1 in blood was significantly correlated with patients' pathological stages.


CONCLUSIONS
The combined detection of CEA, CK-19 and c-met mRNAs in blood provided a valuable tool for molecular diagnosis of NSCLC. In addition, our results also suggested that hnRNP B1 was not a valuable diagnostic marker but a potential prognostic marker for NSCLC.
Sheu
Chau-Chyun
CC
MedicoGenomic Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chang
Mei-Yin
MY
Chang
Huang-Chou
HC
Tsai
Jong-Rung
JR
Lin
Shiu-Ru
SR
Chang
Shun-Jen
SJ
Hwang
Jhi-Jhu
JJ
Huang
Ming-Shyan
MS
Chong
Inn-Wen
IW
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D034481:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group A-B / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
D000199:Actins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D034481:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group A-B; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C439768:hnRNP A2; D007633:Keratins; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met