title: Performance of serum lipocalin 2 as a diagnostic marker for colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lipocalin 2 has been implicated in colorectal tumorigenesis but its usefulness as a diagnostic marker for the disease has previously never been determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have used ELISA immunoassay to measure the level of serum lipocalin 2 in a cohort consisting of colorectal cancer patients (n=196) and age/gender matched controls (n=99).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median concentration of lipocalin 2 was found to be significantly higher (p< 0.0001) in the patient group (105.9 ng/mL, range 10.8-444.7 ng/mL) when compared to the control subjects (86.4 ng/mL, range 17.1-190.0 ng/mL). Additionally, no significant difference was observed between disease stage (Dukes' or T stage) in the patient cohort. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to determine its performance as a diagnostic marker. The area under the curve was found to be 0.641 (95% confidence interval 0.576-0.706). Furthermore, the sensitivity of lipocalin 2 was found to be 24% at 90% specificity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study indicates that lipocalin 2 is not a suitable serum biomarker for the diagnosis of CRC.
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Preventative Health National Research Flagship, Adelaide BC, South Australia, Australia. kim.fung@csiro.au
authors.forename: Kim Y C
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: Ilka
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Priebe
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Purins
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tabor
authors.forename: Gemma V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Brierley
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lockett
authors.forename: Edouard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nice
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: Jeannie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tie
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McMurrick
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruszkiewicz
authors.forename: Antony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.forename: Leah J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Cosgrove
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins