title: ALCAM (CD166) expression and serum levels in pancreatic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was conducted to evaluate the expression of the activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) in pancreatic cancer (PAC) and to determine whether or not the ectodomain shedding of ALCAM (s-ALCAM) could serve as a biomarker in the peripheral blood of PAC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue specimens and blood sera of patients with PAC (n = 264 and n = 116, respectively) and the sera of 115 patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) were analyzed via ALCAM immunohistochemistry and s-ALCAM ELISA tests. Results were correlated with clinical, histopathological, and patient survival data (Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier analysis, log-rank test, respectively).
  
  
  RESULTS
  ALCAM was expressed in the majority of PAC lesions. Immunohistochemistry and serum ELISA tests revealed no association between ALCAM expression in primary tumors or s-ALCAM and clinical or histopathological data. Neither ALCAM nor s-ALCAM showed a significant impact regarding overall survival (p = 0.261 and p = 0.660, respectively). S-ALCAM serum levels were significantly elevated compared to the sera of CP patients (p<0.001). The sensitivity of s-ALCAM in detecting PAC was 58.6% at a specificity of 73.9% (AUC = 0.69).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ALCAM is expressed in the majority of PAC lesions, but statistical analysis revealed no association with clinical or pathological data. Although significantly elevated in patients with PAC, the sensitivity and specificity of the s-ALCAM serum quantification test was low. Therefore, its potential as a novel diagnostic marker for PAC remains elusive and further investigations are required.
authors: Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. mtachezy@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Tachezy
authors: Hilke
authors: H
authors: Zander
authors: Andreas H
authors: AH
authors: Marx
authors: Phillip R
authors: PR
authors: Stahl
authors: Florian
authors: F
authors: Gebauer
authors: Jakob R
authors: JR
authors: Izbicki
authors: Maximilian
authors: M
authors: Bockhorn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005326:Fetal Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D020410:Activated-Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D005326:Fetal Proteins; C105613:ALCAM protein, human; D020410:Activated-Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule