Evaluation of serum lysyl oxidase as a blood test for colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Lysyl oxidase (LOX) expression is elevated in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissue and associated with disease progression. A blood test may form a more acceptable diagnostic test for CRC although LOX has not previously been measured in the serum. We therefore sought to determine the clinical usefulness of a serum LOX test for CRC in a symptomatic population.


METHODS
Adult patients referred to a hospital colorectal clinic with bowel symptoms completed a questionnaire and provided a blood sample for serum LOX measurement. Associations between presenting symptoms, serum LOX concentrations and outcomes of investigations were tested by univariate and multivariate analyses to determine if serum LOX was clinically useful in the prediction of CRC. LOX expression in CRC and adjacent colon biopsies was evaluated by ELISA and immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Thirty-one cases of colorectal cancer and 16 high-risk polyps were identified from a total of 962 participants. There was no association between serum LOX concentration and the presence of CRC, high-risk polyps or cancers at any site. LOX expression was significantly increased in CRC tissue compared to adjacent colon.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite overexpression of LOX in CRC tissue, elevated serum levels could not be demonstrated. Serum LOX measurement is therefore not a clinically useful test for CRC.
NIHR Biomedical Research Unit and Centre for Liver Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK. Electronic address: s.ward.2@bham.ac.uk.
S T
ST
Ward
NIHR Biomedical Research Unit and Centre for Liver Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
C J
CJ
Weston
NIHR Biomedical Research Unit and Centre for Liver Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK.
E
E
Hepburn
NIHR Biomedical Research Unit and Centre for Liver Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
S
S
Damery
University Hospitals Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK.
R K
RK
Hejmadi
NIHR Biomedical Research Unit and Centre for Liver Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK.
D G
DG
Morton
NIHR Biomedical Research Unit and Centre for Liver Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK.
G
G
Middleton
University Hospitals Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK.
T
T
Ismail
NIHR Biomedical Research Unit and Centre for Liver Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
D H
DH
Adams
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008249:Protein-Lysine 6-Oxidase / Q000097:blood*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D008249:Protein-Lysine 6-Oxidase
Colorectal cancer; Diagnosis; Lysyl oxidase; Serum