title: Evaluation of TKTL1 as a biomarker in serum of prostate cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Monocyte associated transketolase-like 1 (TKTL1) as a cancer biomarker has become popular with alternative practitioners, but plays no role in conventional medicine. This investigation evaluates the potential of serum TKTL1 as a biomarker for prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (n = 66) undergoing curative radical prostatectomy (RPE) for biopsy-pro-ven PCa were included in the study. Controls (n = 10) were healthy, age-matched, male volunteers. 10 ml of peripheral blood was drawn from patients several days before surgery and from controls. Serum TKTL1 was measured using the ELISA method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age at tumor diagnosis was 66 years and median serum PSA was 8.0 ng/ml. Nearly 96% of PCas submitted to surgery were clinically significant. Compared to healthy controls, serum TKTL1 was significantly lower in PCa patients (p = 0.0001, effect size indicator r = Z/sqr(n) = 0.4179). No correlation was apparent between serum TKTL1 and serum PSA, Gleason sum, tumor stage or further clinical and pathologic parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reduced serum TKTL1 in PCa patients stands in opposition to TKTL1 epitope detection in monocytes (EDIM) based studies, whereby increased TKTL1 in monocytes of tumor patients has been reported. Since serum TKTL1 does not correlate with clinical parameters in the current investigation, further research is needed to clarify whether serum TKTL1 has potential as a biomarker for PCa.
authors.affiliation: Mainz University Medical Center, Department of Urology, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsaur
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Frankfurt, Department of Urology, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thurn
authors.affiliation: Mainz University Medical Center, Department of Urology, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Juengel
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Frankfurt, Department of Surgery, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Elsie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oppermann
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Frankfurt, Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Mainz University Medical Center, Department of Urology, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Mainz University Medical Center, Department of Urology, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bartsch
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Frankfurt, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Gerhard M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Oremek
authors.affiliation: Mainz University Medical Center, Department of Urology, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haferkamp
authors.affiliation: Vitalicum Urology Outpatient Unit, Frankfurt, Germany; contributed equally as senior authors.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rubenwolf
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Frankfurt, Department of Urology, Frankfurt, Germany; contributed equally as senior authors.
authors.forename: Roman A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Blaheta
keywords: TKTL1; biomarker; complementary medicine; diagnosis; prostate cancer