Similar patterns of loss of heterozygosity in serum of adenocarcinoma of the distal oesophagus and the cardia in early diagnosis.
BACKGROUND
Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) may be a valuable tool for detection of malignant proceedings. The aim of our study was to investigate LOH in the serum of patients with adenocarcinoma of the distal oesophagus and the cardia for diagnostic and prognostic utility.


METHODS
Matched tumour and serum samples from 46 surgically treated patients with oesophageal adenocarcinoma and cardia carcinoma divided in two groups were analysed. Twelve markers were examined with a PCR-based microsatellite analysis.


RESULTS
A similar high frequency of LOH (range from 77% to 96%) was detected in the tumour and serum of both groups, whereas no LOH was detected in 20 healthy individuals. However, no significant correlation between LOH incidence and clinicopathological characteristics and survival was found.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that DNA alterations in tumours of the oesophagus and cardia are uniform. The high frequency of LOH in tumour patients underlines the utility of this molecular approach as a diagnostic tool.
Wachowiak
Robin
R
Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. rwachowiak@gmx.de
Kaifi
Jussuf T
JT
Schurr
Paulus G
PG
Merkert
Petra
P
Yekebas
Emre
E
Schwarzenbach
Heidi
H
Strate
Tim
T
Sauter
Guido
G
Izbicki
Jakob R
JR
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002299:Cardia; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008875:Middle Aged; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*