Real-time polymerase chain reaction quantification of free DNA in serum of patients with polyps and colorectal cancers.
BACKGROUND
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequent causes of cancer related deaths worldwide. Recently, the use of cell-free DNA as diagnostic tools to identify cancer has been investigated. The aim of this work was to assess whether circulating DNA could be considered a useful marker for detection of early stage CRC and polyps.


METHODS
A total of 118 patients with CRC were included in the study along with 49 patients with colorectal polyps and 26 control subjects. Cell-free DNA was quantified using a real-time TaqMan-polymerase chain reaction assay. Non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney test and Spearman correlation) were utilized for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
Serum DNA concentrations were significantly higher in CRC patients and patients with polyps (median value 105.0 ng/mL and 40.0 ng/mL) compared with controls (median value 14.0 ng/mL; p<0.05). Although carcinoembryonic antigen was above the cut-off in only 13/66 (19.7%) patients with early stage CRC, serum free DNA showed values above the threshold identified using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis in 53/66 (80.3%) patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data confirm that serum DNA concentrations are significantly increased in CRC patients with early stage disease and in patients with polyps. This marker might be useful for identifying high-risk individuals.
Danese
Elisa
E
Sezione di Chimica Clinica, Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e della Riproduzione, Università degli Studi di Verona, Verona, Italy. elisa.danese@azosp.vr.it
Montagnana
Martina
M
Minicozzi
Anna Maria
AM
De Matteis
Giovanna
G
Scudo
Giovanni
G
Salvagno
Gian Luca
GL
Cordiano
Claudio
C
Lippi
Giuseppe
G
Guidi
Gian Cesare
GC
D018256:Adenomatous Polyps / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007417:Intestinal Polyps / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004247:DNA