title: Decreased preoperative serum fibulin-3 levels in colon cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fibulin-3 is known to play a role in tumor cell malignancy, invasion and metastasis, as well as in the clinical progression of tumors. This study aimed to assess serum fibulin-3 levels in patients with colon cancer compared with healthy controls and its relationship to demographics and tumor pathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 80 patients (mean age, 58.99 years; 42% males) with colon cancer and 50 controls (mean age, 57.75; 55% males) were included. Serum levels of fibulin-3 were determined using a commercially available sandwich ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperative serum fibulin-3 levels were significantly lower in the group of patients with colon cancer (mean, 35.91 ng/mL; range, 10-73 ng/mL) compared with the control group (mean, 96.68 ng/mL; range, 57-168 ng/mL).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded that fibulin-3 is expressed at a lower level in colon cancer, and it can serve as a marker for advanced colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. akocael147@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Simsek
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kocael
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kemik
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vatankulu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kocael
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halac
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ulualp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sonmezoglu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057234:Preoperative Period
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C119630:EFEMP1 protein, human; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins