title: Prognostic significance of the serum thymidine phosphorylase levels in venous blood drainage specimens in patients with colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether the serum Thymidine phosphorylase (TP) levels in venous blood drainage specimens were associated with the prognosis and risk of liver metastasis in patients with resectable colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 88 patients with colorectal cancer, specimens of venous blood drainage were obtained during operation. The serum TP levels were measured by a highly sensitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subsequently, 88 patients were divided into two groups based on the levels of TP. The dividing line was determined to be 55ng/mL. The TP-high group (> 55ng/mL) had a significantly shorter overall survival than the TP-low group (< 55ng/mL). A multivariate analysis indicated that the serum TP level in venous blood drainage specimens to be a better prognostic factor independent of the traditional pathologic parameters. The serum TP levels of 3 patients with metachronous liver metastasis were high (> 55ng/mL).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that the serum TP levels in venous blood drainage specimens reflect the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer undergoing curative resection, particularly the risk of liver metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Digestive Surgery, Graduate School of Biochemical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Japan. haraguci@mb.ejnet.ne.jp
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haraguchi
authors.forename: Ko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Komuta
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Arifumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akashi
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.forename: Junichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Furui
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanematsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase / Q000097:blood*; D014680:Veins
chemical_list: D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase