title: Colorectal carcinoma: nucleosomes, carcinoembryonic antigen and ca 19-9 as apoptotic markers; a comparative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colorectal carcinoma is a common and often fatal disease in which methods of early detection and monitoring are essential. The present study was conducted for measuring serum levels of nucleosomes, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA 19-9 in patients newly diagnosed with colorectal carcinoma and confirmed by clinicopathological study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty subjects were included in the current study: six normal subjects as a control group with mean age (45.6 ± 7.9) and twenty four colorectal carcinoma patients with mean age (46.9 ± 15.6), which were classified pathologically according to the degree of malignant cell differentiation into well differentiated (group I), moderately differentiated (group II) and poorly differentiated (group III). Fasting venous blood samples were collected preoperative.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed a significant increase in serum level of nucleosomes in patients with poorly differentiated tumors versus patients with well differentiated tumors (p = 0.041). The levels of CEA and CA19-9 showed no significant increase (p = 0.569 and 0.450, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, serum level of nucleosomes provides a highly sensitive and specific apoptotic marker for colorectal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry Mu'tah University, Al Karak, Jordan. Dr.Jehad@mutah.edu.jo
authors.forename: Jehad M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Al-Shuneigat
authors.forename: Samir S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Mahgoub
authors.forename: Fazlul
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Huq
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D009707:Nucleosomes