title: YKL-40 and mesothelin in the blood of patients with malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma (MM) there still is a lack of specific and sensitive screening biomarkers: this study examined the discriminatory power of a panel of serum/plasma biomarkers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved four groups: (a) individuals previously exposed to asbestos with asbestosis; (b) patients with MM; (c) patients with non-small cell lung cancer; and (d) controls without any evidence of malignancy. The concentrations of mesothelin, chitinase-3-like-1 (YKL-40), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), endothelin-1, interleukin-8 (IL-8) and fibulin-3 in the serum of patients were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with MM had significantly higher serum levels of mesothelin (p<0.001), YKL-40 (p<0.001), IL-8 (p<0.001) and VEGF (p<0.01) than controls. The cut-off point for MM was 1.26 nM for mesothelin alone, and 167 pg/ml for YKL-40 alone; the presence of both markers above these cut-off levels improved diagnostic specificity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The addition of YKL-40 may improve the specificity of mesothelin measurements alone for detecting patients with MM.
authors: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43123 Parma, Italy. massimo.corradi@unipr.it.
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Corradi
authors: Matteo
authors: M
authors: Goldoni
authors: Rossella
authors: R
authors: Alinovi
authors: Marcello
authors: M
authors: Tiseo
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Ampollini
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Bonini
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Carbognani
authors: Angelo
authors: A
authors: Casalini
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Mutti
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D000368:Aged; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D037102:Lectins / Q000097:blood*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D000090204:Mesothelin; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D019332:Endothelin-1; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D016209:Interleukin-8; D037102:Lectins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000090204:Mesothelin
keywords: Malignant mesothelioma; YKL-40; lung cancer; mesothelin