Brief Reports
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2005. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 21, 2005; 11(27): 4250-4253
Published online Jul 21, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i27.4250
Clinical evaluation of serum concentrations of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in patients with colorectal cancer
Xu Kang, Fang Wang, Jin-Dong Xie, Jun Cao, Pei-Zhong Xian
Xu Kang, Jin-Dong Xie, Pei-Zhong Xian, Department of Gastro-intestinal Surgery, Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical College, Zhanjiang 524001, Guangdong Province, China
Fang Wang, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, Guangdong Province, China
Jun Cao, Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical College, Zhanjiang 524001, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the Youth Science Foundation of Guangdong Medical College, No. 2002110
Correspondence to: Dr. Xu Kang, Department of Gastro-intestinal Surgery, Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical College, Zhanjiang 524001, Guangdong Province, China. kangxuwf@163.com
Telephone: +86-759-2387416 Fax: +86-759-2231754
Received: December 25, 2004
Revised: January 8, 2004
Accepted: January 12, 2004
Published online: July 21, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the correlation between the serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and the clinicopathologic features and to evaluate the possible prognostic significance of sICAM-1 concentration in colorectal cancer.

METHODS: A total of 56 patients (mean age 57.3 years) having transitional cell carcinoma of the colorectal and 25 control patients (mean age 42.6 years) were enrolled in the study. The serum samples of the patients were obtained on the day before surgery. Sera were obtained by centrifugation, and stored at -80°C until assay. Serum concentrations of ICAM-1 were measured with enzyme-linked immunoassay. Differences between the two groups were analyzed by Student’s t-test.

RESULTS: No significant increase of serum sICAM-1 could be demonstrated in the Dukes A1 patients (352.63 ± 61.82 μg/L) compared to the control group (345.72 ± 49.81 μg/L, P>0.05), Dukes A1 patients (352.63 ± 61.82 μ g/L) compared to Dukes A2,3 patients (491.17 ± 86.36 μg/L, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the patients with Dukes B had significantly higher serum concentrations of sICAM-1 than those of the control group (496.82 ± 93.04 μg/L vs 345.72 ± 49.81 μg/L, P < 0.01). Compared with Dukes A2,3, B colorectal cancer patients, patients with more advanced clinical stage (Dukes C and D) had higher levels of sICAM-1 (743.68 ± 113.74 μg/L vs 491.17 ± 86.36 μg/L and 496.82 ± 93.04 μg/L, P < 0.001). The difference was statistically significant in sICAM-1 levels between patients with positive lymph node status and those without lymph node involvement (756.25 ± 125.57 μg/L vs 445.62 ± 69.18 μg/L, P < 0.001). Patients with poorly differentiated colorectal cancer had a higher level of sICAM-1 than those with differentiated and highly differentiated cancer (736.49 ± 121.97 μg/L vs 410.23 ± 67.47 μg/L, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: In this study, serum ICAM-1 levels were found to be related to tumor presence, clinical stages, and grade. Increased ICAM-1 in patients with colorectal cancer which should be considered when the diagnostic and/or prognostic usefulness of soluble ICAM-1 is to be evaluated. sICAM-1 should prove useful for monitoring malignant disease stage and for evaluating the effectiveness of various therapeutic approaches for colorectal carcinomas.

Keywords: sICAM-1; Colorectal cancer; Tumor metastasis; Clinicopathological factors