Abstract
Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most frequent cancer worldwide and in the Czech Republic. S100P protein plays a significant role in colorectal carcinogenesis and in tumour metastatic progression.
The aim of this prospective study was to assess the association between serum concentration of S100P protein and CRC. Methods: The study included 79 subjects-36 controls and 43 patients with CRC.
The CRC group was divided into subgroups according to tumour side (13 patients with right-sided CRC (CRC-R group) and 30 patients with left-sided CRC (CRC-L group)); stage of the disease (9 patients in clinical stage I, 7 in stage II, 13 in stage III and 13 in stage IV); and tumour grading (5 patients with well-differentiated tumour (G1), 24 patients with moderately-differentiated tumour (G2) and 11 patients with poorly-differentiated tumour (G3)). Serum concentrations of S100P protein were measured in peripheral blood samples using ELISA.
Results: Serum S100P was significantly higher in the CRC group (median: 1251; inter-quartile range (IQR): 731-1749 ng/L) than in the controls (median: 765; IQR: 545-1158 ng/L); p = 0.012. Compared to the control group, serum S100P was signifcantly higher in patients with left-sided tumours (median: 1426; IQR: 739-1925 ng/L; p = 0.005), in clinical stage IV (median: 1622; IQR: 778-2154 ng/L; p = 0.008) and in patients with moderately-differentiated tumours (median: 1318; IQR: 853-1879 ng/L; p = 0.005).
No difference was observed in the CRC-R group when compared with the controls and CRC-L group; p > 0.05. Conclusion: The study confirms a relationship between serum concentration of S100P protein and CRC.
Signifcantly higher serum levels were observed in patients in clinical stage IV and patients with left-sided carcinoma.