Abstract
The present study is aimed at examining the serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and investigating its role in differential diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Materials and Methods. In a Chinese population, we conducted a case-control study to compare the diagnostic performance of serum levels of BDNF and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) for CRC. We enrolled 61 healthy controls, 31 patients with adenomas, and 81 patients with CRC. We explored the correlation between serum levels of BDNF and several pathological features, such as tumor differentiation and TNM staging. Results. The serum levels of BDNF were significantly (p < 0.0001) higher in patients with CRC (10.64 ± 3.84, n = 81) than in the healthy controls (4.69 ± 1.69 ng/mL, n = 61). Serum BDNF also correlated with tumor size, tumor differentiation, and TNM staging (p < 0.05). For early diagnosis, the combination of BDNF (AUC 0.719; 95% CI, 0.621–0.816) and CEA (AUC 0.733; 95% CI, 0.632–0.909) slightly improved the diagnostic performance for CRC (AUC 0.823; 95% CI, 0.737-0.909). Conclusions. Combined detection of serum BDNF and CEA may thus have the potential to become a new laboratory method for the early clinical diagnosis of CRC.
Highlights
Colorectal cancer (CRC), one of the most common malignancies in western countries, is a frequent cause of death, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide [1]
Since the measurement of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is influenced by the total serum protein concentration and the number of platelets [21], we measured these serum parameters in the patients and the healthy controls (HC) and found no differences between the two groups
Our analysis revealed that the serum levels of BDNF were significantly higher in patients with CRC compared with those of HC, which were consistent with the upregulation of its expression in CRC tumor tissues
Summary
Colorectal cancer (CRC), one of the most common malignancies in western countries, is a frequent cause of death, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide [1]. Clinical screening of CRC relies mainly on a guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT), which is limited, and the need for stool sampling may restrict acceptance and compliance [3, 4]. Intensive efforts have been made to identify blood-based biomarkers that may provide a promising alternative for noninvasive CRC screening [5]. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is currently the most commonly used serum tumor marker for CRC [6]. It is not recommended as a screening or diagnostic tool for this neoplasm, especially in the early stages, because of low sensitivity [7]. It is important to search for new serum markers for colorectal cancer
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
