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Erschienen in:
01.02.2013 | Brief Communication
Simultaneous determination of serum galectin-3 and -4 levels detects metastases in colorectal cancer patients
Erschienen in: Cellular Oncology | Ausgabe 1/2013
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Background
Development of effective ways to detect metastases is highly desirable for improving the therapeutic strategies and survival of cancer patients. Serum levels of galectin-3 and -4, two members of the galactoside-binding galectin family, have recently been reported to be markedly increased up to 31-fold in the bloodstream of colorectal cancer patients and in particular those with metastases.
Results
We found that simultaneous determination of serum galectin-3 and -4 levels in a single assay provides a high specificity and sensitivity in distinguishing colorectal cancer patients without metastases from those with liver metastases. This result was partly attributed by a reciprocal relationship of serum galectin-3 and -4 levels in patients with metastases. Higher serum galectin-3/-4 levels at the time of primary tumour removal in patients who did not exhibit clinically detectable metastases were associated with a trend of a poorer patients’ survival in the next 10 years.
Conclusion
Simultaneous determination of serum galectin-3 and -4 levels can potentially be used alone or in combination with other assessments to detect colorectal cancer metastases.