title: Nucleosomes in colorectal cancer patients during radiochemotherapy.
abstract: Apoptotic markers and tumor-associated antigens might be suitable to indicate the response to radiochemotherapy early. We analyzed the courses of nucleosomes, CEA, CA 19-9 and CYFRA 21-1 in 25 colorectal cancer patients during radiochemotherapy (4 postoperative, 13 preoperative, 8 local relapse therapy). Blood was taken before therapy, daily during the first week, once weekly during the following weeks, and at the end of the radiochemotherapy. After a temporary decline 6 h after the first irradiation, nucleosomes rose in most patients rapidly reaching a maximum during the first days which was followed by a subsequent decrease. In patients receiving postoperative therapy after complete resection of tumor, nucleosome levels generally were lower than in patients with preoperative or relapse therapy. Correspondingly, CEA, CA 19-9 and CYFRA 21-1 levels of postoperatively treated patients were the lowest whereas those with tumor relapse had the highest ones. During preoperative therapy, lower nucleosome concentrations were found in patients with response to therapy resulting in a smaller area under the curve of days 1-3 (AUC) than in those with progressive disease (p = 0.028). The other parameters did not indicate the response to therapy at the initial treatment phase. In conclusion, the course of nucleosomes (AUC) might be valuable for the early prediction of therapy response in preoperatively treated colorectal cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Klinikum der Universitat Munchen - Grosshadern, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kremer
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holdenrieder
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stieber
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wilkowski
authors.forename: Dorothea
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nagel
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seidel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009707:Nucleosomes; D005472:Fluorouracil