title: Saliva and plasma TIMP-1 in patients with colorectal cancer: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A prospective cross-sectional study was designed to test if total levels of TIMP-1 in saliva and plasma correlated with the diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) in a population with symptoms consistent with this disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stimulated whole saliva and blood samples were collected from 161 individuals referred to colonoscopy with symptoms associated with CRC. The results of the examination, as well as previous and/or current other diseases were recorded. In a blinded study, the authors used an in-house TIMP-1 ELISA previously validated for use in saliva and plasma to determine total levels of TIMP-1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-six of the patients (35%) were diagnosed with CRC. Plasma TIMP-1 levels were significantly elevated in CRC patients compared with patients with other, non-malignant diseases and individuals without disease. Significant differences in saliva TIMP-1 levels between CRC patients and individuals without CRC could not be demonstrated. In addition, no correlation was found between levels of TIMP-1 in plasma and saliva.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Total levels of TIMP-1 in saliva do not reflect the presence of CRC, and TIMP-1 saliva measurements thus cannot substitute plasma TIMP-1 measurements in detection of CRC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Clinical Oral Physiology, Oral Pathology & Anatomy, Institute of Odontology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. lhoa@life.ku.dk
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holten-Andersen
authors.forename: Ib Jarle
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Siri Beier
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reibel
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laurberg
authors.forename: Birgitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nauntofte
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brünner
authors.forename: Hans Jørgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Nielsen
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1