The significance of serum transforming growth factor beta 1 in detecting of gastric and colon cancers
Coban, S.; Yüksel, O.; Koçkar, M.Cem.; Köklü, S.; Basar, O.; Tutkak, Hüseyin.; Ormeci, N.
Hepato-Gastroenterology 54(77): 1472-1476
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 0172-6390 PMID: 17708279 Document Number: 608564
Background/Aims: TGF-beta 1 is a growth factor with wide ranging effects on proliferation, differentiation, immune suppression, apoptosis and matrix remodeling.We aimed to clarify the clinical significance of circulating levels of TGF-beta 1 as a tumor marker in gastrointestinal tract cancers by comparing it to CEA across a range of parameters such as cancer type and severity.Methodology: Sera collected from patients with gastrointestinal tract cancers (32 gastric, 36 colon) and from 25 healthy volunteers were analyzed for TGF-beta 1 and CEA. Relations between serum TGF-beta 1 levels and tumor stage and tumor grade were also evaluated.Results: Mean serum TGF-beta 1 levels were higher in patients with gastric or colon cancer compared to the control group (p=0.001). In both types of cancer there were no differences in TGF-beta 1 levels associated with serosal involvement, lymph node involvement, vascular invasion, distant metastasis or tumor size. Mean serum TGF-beta 1 levels were also not statistically different across histopathological tumor grades in either type of cancer. The sensitivity of TGF-beta 1 was higher in patients with gastric cancer than in patients with colon cancer. TGF-beta 1 had greater sensitivity than CEA in gastric cancer patients.Conclusions: TGF-beta 1 has higher sensitivity in gastric and colon cancers. Since it may be increased even in cancer without closed and distant metastasis, TGF-beta 1 may be used as a tumor marker and combined with CEA particularly in gastric cancers.