title: ERC/mesothelin as a marker for chemotherapeutic response in patients with mesothelioma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been recently reported that soluble mesothelin-related protein (SMRP), serum mesothelin, and osteopontin (OPN) are considered as relevant biomarkers for the diagnosis of mesothelioma. The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum N-ERC/mesothelin, an NH3-terminal fragment of mesothelin, and plasma OPN reflect chemotherapeutic effect in patients with mesothelioma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum N-ERC/mesothelin and plasma osteopontin were determined with a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average N-ERC ratio, determined by dividing the N-ERC levels following chemotherapy by those prior to chemotherapy, in the partial response (PR) group was significantly lower than that of the stable disease (SD)/progressive disease (PD) group. In contrast, the average OPN ratio, determined by dividing the OPN levels following chemotherapy by those prior to chemotherapy, in the PR group was not statistically different from that of the SD/PD group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  N-ERC/mesothelin is considered as relevant in monitoring chemotherapeutic response in patients with mesothelioma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Juntendo University, School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan. tajiken@med.juntendo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.forename: Michihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirama
authors.forename: Kazu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiomi
authors.forename: Toshiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishiwata
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iwase
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwakami
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Michie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toba
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tobino
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugano
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Okio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hino
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D000090204:Mesothelin; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D053495:Osteopontin; D000090204:Mesothelin