title: Assessment of SOX17 DNA methylation in cell free DNA from patients with operable gastric cancer. Association with prognostic variables and survival.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  DNA methylation represents one of the most common epigenetic changes in human cancer providing important information regarding carcinogenesis. A possible role as a prognostic indicator has also been proposed. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of SOX17 promoter methylation status in patients with operable gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using methylation-specific PCR (MSP) we examined the incidence and prognostic significance of SOX17 methylation status in cell free circulating DNA in the serum of 73 patients with operable gastric cancer. Fifty-one patients were male (69.9%), their median age was 65 years, 43 patients (58.9%) had regional lymph node involvement and all had a Performance Status (WHO) of 0-1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SOX17 promoter was found to be methylated in 43 out of 73 gastric cancer serum samples examined (58.9%). All 20 control serum samples from healthy individuals were negative. Overall survival (OS) was found to be significantly associated with SOX17 methylation (p=0.049). A significant correlation between methylation status and differentiation (p=0.031) was also observed. No other significant associations between different tumor parameters examined and SOX17 methylation status were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SOX17 promoter methylation in cell free DNA of patients with operable gastric cancer is a frequent event and may provide important information regarding prognosis in this group of patients.
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece.
authors: Ioanna
authors: I
authors: Balgkouranidou
authors: Anastasios
authors: A
authors: Karayiannakis
authors: Dimitrios
authors: D
authors: Matthaios
authors: Heleni
authors: H
authors: Bolanaki
authors: Gregorios
authors: G
authors: Tripsianis
authors: Antonios Apostolos
authors: AA
authors: Tentes
authors: Evi
authors: E
authors: Lianidou
authors: Ekaterini
authors: E
authors: Chatzaki
authors: Aliki
authors: A
authors: Fiska
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Lambropoulou
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Kolios
authors: Stylianos
authors: S
authors: Kakolyris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D055760:SOXF Transcription Factors / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; C109188:SOX17 protein, human; D055760:SOXF Transcription Factors