Surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry profiling of serum in detection of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and the progression to lymph node metastasis

Abstract

To assess the use of surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS) to identify multiple serum protein biomarkers for early detection of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), to establish predictive model, and to accurately distinguish LSCC patients with or without lymph node metastasis. Serum samples were collected from 142 LSCC patients and 110 normal controls, totally 252, and randomly divided into 2 groups: model establishment group (including 89 patients with LSCC at the stages I and II, 30 of which had lymph node metastasis, and 65 normal controls) and blind test group (including 53 patients with LSCC at the stages III and IV and 45 normal controls). Serum protein profiling on weak cationic exchange (WCX2) was performed by SELDI-TOF MS and the results were analyzed by Biomarker Wizard software. The Decision Tree classification algorithm and blind validation were determined by Biomarker Pattern software (BPS). A panel of 18 biomarkers ranging from 2,000 to 50,000 was selected based on their collective contribution to the optimal separation between the LSCC patients and healthy controls. Among them 1 candidate protein peak with the M/Z value of 4,176 was selected to establish predictive model by BPS with the sensitivity of 86.52% and the specificity of 84.62%. The ability to detect LSCC patients was evaluated using blind test data in cancer patients. The sensitivity of the blind test was 84.91%, and the specificity was 82.22%. 14 potential biomarkers were found to differentiate the LSCC patients with or without lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). The high sensitivity and specificity achieved by the serum protein biomarkers show great potential for the early detection of LSCC. SELDI-TOF MS serum profiling is able to distinguish LSCC patients with or without lymph node metastasis.