Detection of serum MMP-7 and MMP-9 in cholangiocarcinoma patients: evaluation of diagnostic accuracy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Cholangiocarcinoma is an aggressive tumor with a tendency for local invasion and distant metastases. Timely diagnosis is very important because surgical resection (R0) remains the only hope for a cure. However, at present, there is no available tumor marker that can differentiate cholangiocarcinoma from benign bile duct disease. Previous studies have demonstrated that matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-7 and MMP-9 are frequently expressed in cholangiocarcinoma specimens.

METHODS:

This study was designed to determine whether the serum levels of MMP-7 and MMP-9 can discriminate cholangiocarcinoma patients from benign biliary tract disease patients in comparison to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9). We measured the level of CEA, CA19-9, MMP-7 and MMP-9 in the serum of 44 cholangiocarcinoma and 36 benign biliary tract diseases patients.

RESULTS:

Among the serum levels of CEA, CA19-9, MMP-7 and MMP-9, only the serum MMP-7 level was significantly higher in the patients with cholangiocarcinoma (8.9 +/- 3.43 ng/ml) compared to benign biliary tract disease patients (5.9 +/- 3.03 ng/ml) (p < 0.001). An receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that the detection of the serum MMP-7 level is reasonably accurate in differentiating cholangiocarcinoma from benign biliary tract disease patients (area under curve = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.614-0.848). While the areas under the curve of the ROC curves for CEA, CA19-9 and MMP-9 were 0.63 (95% CI = 0.501-0.760), 0.63 (95% CI = 0.491-0.761) and 0.59 (95% CI = 0.455-0.722), respectively.

CONCLUSION:

Serum MMP-7 appears to be a valuable diagnostic marker in the discrimination of cholangiocarcinoma from benign biliary tract disease. Further prospective studies for serum MMP-7 measurement should be carried out to further investigate the potential of this molecule as a biomarker of cholangiocarcinoma.

• Authors: Kawin Leelawat, Sompong Sakchinabut, Siriluck Narong, Jerasak Wannaprasert
• Journal: BMC gastroenterology (BMC Gastroenterol) Vol. 9 Pg. 30 (Apr 30 2009) ISSN: 1471-230X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19405942 (Publication Type: Evaluation Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• CA-19-9 Antigen
• Carcinoembryonic Antigen
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 7
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 9

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Bile Duct Neoplasms (blood, diagnosis)
• Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic
• Biliary Tract Diseases (blood, diagnosis)
• Biomarkers, Tumor (blood)
• CA-19-9 Antigen (blood)
• Carcinoembryonic Antigen (blood)
• Cholangiocarcinoma (blood, diagnosis)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Female
• Humans
• Jaundice, Obstructive (blood, diagnosis)
• Male
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 (blood)
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 (blood)
• Middle Aged
• ROC Curve
• Sensitivity and Specificity