Combining conventional and stroma-derived tumour markers in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

• BACKGROUND: A lack of disease-specific symptoms and good tumour markers makes early detection and diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) challenging. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the tissue expression and circulating levels of four stroma-derived substances (type IV collagen, endostatin/type XVIII collagen, osteopontin and tenascin C) and four conventional tumour markers (CA 19-9, TPS, CEA and Ca 125) in a PDAC cohort.METHODS: Tissue expression of markers in normal pancreas and PDAC tissue was analysed with immunofluorescence. Plasma concentrations of markers were measured before and after surgery. Patients with non-malignant disorders served as controls.RESULTS: The conventional and stromal substances were expressed in the cancer cell compartment and the stroma, respectively. Although most patients had increased levels of many markers before surgery, 2/12 (17%) of patients had normal levels of Ca 19-9 at this stage. High preoperative endostatin/type XVIII collagen, and postoperative type IV collagen was associated with short survival. Neither the pre-nor postoperative levels of TPS, Ca 125 or CA 19-9 were associated to survival.CONCLUSIONS: PDAC is characterized by an abundant stroma. These initial observations indicate that the stroma can be a source of PDAC tumour markers that are found in different compartments of the cancer, thus reflecting different aspects of tumour biology.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Cancer och onkologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cancer and Oncology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)

tumour markers

stroma

type IV collagen

type XVIII llagen

endostatin

osteopontin

tenascin C

TPS

Ca 125

Ca 19-9

CEA

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)