title: Serum sAPRIL: a potential tumor-associated biomarker to colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of our study was to investigate the serum levels of soluble a-proliferation-inducing ligand (sAPRIL) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), benign intestinal disease and healthy volunteers and explore the potential possibility of sAPRIL severing as a CRC biomarker.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our investigation was conducted on 35 blood samples obtained from CRC patients, 32 blood samples from patients with benign intestinal diseases and 31 blood samples from healthy volunteers. The sAPRIL concentrations were examined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and data were analyzed with non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test and X²-test. The correlation relationship between sAPRIL and CEA, as well as sAPRIL and CA19-9 was assessed by non-parametric Spearmen's correlation test, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median value of sAPRIL in the malignant group was 10.43 ng/mL, compared with those of the benign group (4.89 ng/mL) and control group (3.30 ng/mL), respectively, which had an obvious significance (P<0.0003). Area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve for sAPRIL was 0.854 (95% CI, 0.776-0.933). The optimal cut-off level of sAPRIL was 5.49 ng/mL. Serum sAPRIL had a positive correlation with CEA (r=0.637, P=0.000) and CA19-9 (r=0.357, P=0.008) in 35 patients with colorectal cancer. sAPRIL showed higher sensitivity (82.9%) than those of CEA (74.3%) and CA19-9 (65.7%) in CRC, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicated that serum sAPRIL, as a potential biomarker, had a positive diagnostic value for colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Medical Laboratory Center, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China; School of Public Health, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Weifeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Jingchun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guihua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qinfeng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Shaoqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.forename: Huimin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019540:Area Under Curve; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; C114631:TNFSF13 protein, human; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13
keywords: Biomarker; CA19-9; CEA; Colorectal cancer; Diagnosis; sAPRIL