Serological diagnostic factors for liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the serological diagnostic factors for liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer.


METHODS
One hundred and six adult in-patients with colorectal cancer were studied and divided into patients with liver metastasis (n = 56) and patients without liver metastasis (n = 50). Serum levels of tumor and biochemical markers for liver were measured at the time of diagnosis.


RESULTS
The mean survival time was 55.9 mo, 36.8 mo and 68.3 mo for the overall patients, patients with liver metastasis and patients without liver metastasis, respectively. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level was significantly correlated with the survival time of colorectal cancer patients. The levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), LDH and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were significantly higher in patients with liver metastasis than in those without liver metastasis. Patients with lymph node metastasis had a higher risk of liver metastasis than those without lymph node metastasis. The cut points of LDH, GGT and CEA for screening liver metastasis were 180 U/L, 30 U/L and 5.0 microg/L, respectively. The sensitivity was 64.3%, 69.6% and 70.4%, and the specificity was 64.0%, 60.0% and 52.4%, respectively. The sensitivity of parallel test was 85.2% for LDH and CEA, and 92.6% for GGT and CEA, respectively. The specificity of serial test was 85.7% for LDH (or GGT) and CEA.


CONCLUSIONS
Early diagnosis of liver metastasis is of great significance. The sensitivity and specificity of combined tumor and biochemical markers are rather good in screening colorectal liver metastasis.
Wu
Xiong-Zhi
XZ
Department of Zhong-Shan-Men In-patient, Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Jintang Road, Hedong District, Tianjin, China. ilwxz@163.com
Ma
Feng
F
Wang
Xue-Lin
XL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase