title: The combined use of serum neurotensin and IL-8 as screening markers for colorectal cancer.
abstract: This pilot study aimed to determine the feasibility of serum neurotensin/IL-8 values being used as a screening tool for colorectal cancer. Fifty-six patients and 15 healthy controls were assigned to seven groups according to their disease entity based on theater records and histology report. Blood samples for neurotensin and IL-8 were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. There were no differences in the clinical and biochemical parameters of patients and controls. Group (p=0.003) and age (p=0.059, marginally significant) were independent predictors of neurotensin plasma values. Neurotensin (p=0.004) and IL-8 (p=0.029) differed between healthy and colorectal cancer patients. Neurotensin values differentiate the control group from all remaining groups. The value of plasma neurotensin ≤ 54.47 pg/ml at enrollment selected by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrated a sensitivity of 77 %, specificity of 90 %, and an estimate of area under ROC curve (accuracy) of 85 % in predicting colorectal cancer. At enrollment, the value of plasma IL-8 ≥ 8.83 pg/ml had a sensitivity of 85 %, specificity 80 %, and an estimate of area under ROC curve (accuracy) of 81 % in predicting colorectal cancer. IL-8 should be used complementary to neurotensin due to its lower specificity. None of the colorectal cancer patients displayed a combination of high neurotensin and low IL-8 values (beyond cutoffs). It seems that a blood neurotensin/IL-8 system may be used as a screening tool for colorectal cancer, but much has to be done before it is validated in larger-scale prospective studies.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery and Surgical Oncology Unit, Red Cross Hospital, 1, Athanasaki Street, Ampelokipi, 11526, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sgourakis
authors.forename: Aggeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papapanagiotou
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kontovounisios
authors.forename: Michalis V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Karamouzis
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dedemadi
authors.forename: Constantine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Goumas
authors.forename: Constantine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karaliotas
authors.forename: Athanasios G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Papavassiliou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000097:blood*; D012372:ROC Curve; D018028:Receptors, Neurotensin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C508606:CXCL8 protein, human; D016209:Interleukin-8; D018028:Receptors, Neurotensin; C114036:neurotensin type 1 receptor; D009496:Neurotensin