Cathepsin D serum levels are not a valid serum marker in renal cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
It was the aim of this study to evaluate the serum levels of cathepsin D (Cath D) as a diagnostic tool in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in comparison with healthy volunteers.


METHODS
Cath D serum levels were measured in serum samples obtained preoperatively from 32 patients with histologically confirmed RCC versus 30 healthy individuals using an enzyme immunoassay. Additionally, for the tumor group, Cath D serum levels were correlated with tumor stage and grade as determined according to the 2002 TNM classification.


RESULTS
The serum Cath D concentration was not significantly different in patients with RCC compared with healthy individuals (mean 16.58 vs. 16.64 ng/ml; p = 0.43). Furthermore, there was no significant association between Cath D serum levels and several patient or tumor characteristics such as tumor stage, tumor grade, lymph node status, presence of metastasis, gender or age.


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to overexpression of Cath D in primary RCC tissue, serum Cath D is not altered in RCC patients when compared with healthy volunteers. In this small cohort, Cath D serum levels did not reveal additional clinical information in patients diagnosed with a small renal mass. Further prospective multicenter studies might shed more light on the value of Cath D in the diagnostics of RCC.
Merseburger
Axel S
AS
Department of Urology, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Hennenlotter
Joerg
J
Stenzl
Arnulf
A
Beger
Gundhild
G
Rinnab
Ludwig
L
Kuczyk
Markus A
MA
Kuefer
Rainer
R
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000097:blood*; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002402:Cathepsin D