Confounding effect of obstructive jaundice in the interpretation of proteomic plasma profiling data for pancreatic cancer.

Abstract

It is well established that variation in sampling, processing and storage protocols can alter the levels of potential biomarkers in serum and plasma. Here, using pancreatic cancer as an example, we demonstrate that consideration of clinical parameters related to the patient's illness is equally important when seeking cancer-specific biomarkers. Bile duct-obstruction is a feature of pancreatic disease that can cause jaundice. Comparing patients with pancreatic cancer, chronic pancreatitis or biliary duct obstruction, we observed that the plasma levels of apolipoprotein A1, transthyretin, and apolipoprotein E, when examined in isolation, were each associated with pancreatic cancer. However, when the effect of bile duct obstruction was considered, only transthyretin levels were independently associated with cancer likelihood. Our results demonstrate the importance of accounting for disease-related confounding factors when analyzing data for the detection of cancer biomarkers.

• Authors: Li Yan, Sarah Tonack, Richard Smith, Susanna Dodd, Rosalind E Jenkins, Neil Kitteringham, William Greenhalf, Paula Ghaneh, John P Neoptolemos, Eithne Costello
• Journal: Journal of proteome research (J Proteome Res) Vol. 8 Issue 1 Pg. 142-8 (Jan 2009) ISSN: 1535-3893 [Print] United States
• PMID: 19055369 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• CA-19-9 Antigen

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Biomarkers, Tumor
• CA-19-9 Antigen (biosynthesis)
• Cholestasis (blood, complications, diagnosis)
• Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional
• Female
• Humans
• Jaundice, Obstructive (blood, complications, diagnosis)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pancreatic Neoplasms (blood, complications, diagnosis)
• Proteomics (methods)
• ROC Curve
• Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization