title: Novel potential markers of nasopharyngeal carcinoma for diagnosis and therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To search for markers of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) for diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, we evaluated 51 serum metabolites in 49 NPC, 37 throat cancer patients and 40 healthy controls. High metabolites were selected and confirmed in NPC tissues. Sensitivity and specificity were appraised for 53 NPC diagnoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Metabolic profiling revealed that kynurenine, N-acetylglucosaminylamine, N-acetylglucosamine and hydroxyphenylpyruvate increased in NPC patient sera. Their sensitivity and specificity were respectively 79% and 71%, 78% and 69%, 83% and 68%, 84% and 73% for NPC diagnosis. These increases were confirmed in NPC cells. Four metabolites gradually increased from stage I to stage III. After radiotherapy, four metabolites decreased gradually, and tended to a normal level, and were associated with rate of tumor reduction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results reveal that kynurenine, N-acetylglucosaminylamine, N-acetylglucosamine and hydroxyphenylpyruvate are potentially markers of NPC for diagnosis and therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhuhai Hospital, Jinan University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, PR China. tangfaqing33@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Faqing
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Chunlei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Damao
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Maomao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Lunchao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Yongfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wenhua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: Ya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Lunquan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000097:blood; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002277:Carcinoma; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000097:blood; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D010667:Phenylpyruvic Acids / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D010667:Phenylpyruvic Acids; D007737:Kynurenine; D000117:Acetylglucosamine; C031606:phenylpyruvic acid