Evaluation of serum amyloid A as a biomarker for gastric cancer.
BACKGROUND
Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a useful biomarker for gastric cancer in an animal model. We investigated the potential of SAA as a biomarker for gastric cancer in humans.


METHODS
Serum levels of SAA from 96 gastric cancer patients were measured before and after curative gastrectomy; 32 patients with gastric ulcers and 52 healthy subjects were the control groups. The immunohistochemical study was performed to evaluate the protein expression over gastric cancer tissue slides.


RESULTS
The mean SAA concentration was higher in gastric cancer patients (88.54 +/- 50.44 mg/l) than in healthy subjects (3.36 +/- 2.29 mg/l) and gastric ulcer patients (10.48 +/- 8.97 mg/l) (P < .05). The SAA concentration was associated with tumor stage (P = .0244) and location (P = .0016) but not with Lauren's histological type (P = .839). In the multivariate analysis, SAA level was correlated with tumor location (P < .0001) and lymph node status (P < .05). During follow-up, the mean SAA concentration increased significantly in 24 patients with tumor recurrence (P < .05) but did not change in 77 patients without recurrence. In the survival analysis, patients with SAA levels > 97 mg/l had a nearly fourfold increase in risk of death. Immunoreactivity was most prominent in blood vessel regions but not within cancer cells.


CONCLUSIONS
These data not only demonstrated SAA was useful in predicting survival of patients with gastric cancer, but they also showed that SAA was a valuable tool for postoperative follow-up.
Chan
De-Chuan
DC
Division of General Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. chrischan1168@yahoo.com.tw
Chen
Cheng-Jueng
CJ
Chu
Heng-Cheng
HC
Chang
Wei-Kuo
WK
Yu
Jyh-Cherng
JC
Chen
Yu-Ju
YJ
Wen
Li-Li
LL
Huang
Su-Ching
SC
Ku
Chih-Hung
CH
Liu
Yao-Chi
YC
Chen
Jenn-Han
JH
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000097:blood; D016019:Survival Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein