Advancing early detection of gastric cancer through serum cytokine profiling

Abstract

Gastric carcinoma (GC) is one of the most common and deadly cancers worldwide, ranking fifth in incidence and third in cancer-related mortality. Despite significant advancements in surgical techniques and chemotherapy, the overall prognosis for GC remains poor, primarily due to late-stage diagnosis. Current diagnostic tools, such as endoscopy and biopsy, are invasive and are often utilized only after symptoms arise, leading to missed opportunities for early intervention. Traditional serum tumour markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 19-9, demonstrate limited sensitivity and specificity, particularly in the disease's early stages. GC often diagnosed at advanced stages due to a lack of early, specific biomarkers. Chronic inflammation plays a significant role in gastric carcinogenesis, particularly in cases of Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis. Pro-inflammatory cytokines have gained attention as potential non-invasive serum biomarkers for early diagnosis and disease monitoring. In recent years, numerous studies have explored the potential of serum cytokines-such as interleukin (IL)-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, IL-8 and interferon-gamma-as biomarkers for detecting gastric cancer. Future research integrating cytokine profiling with imaging, endoscopic, or genomic data may revolutionize how we screen and manage GC.

Keywords: Gastric carcinoma; Cytokines; Interleukin-6; Interleukin-8; Interleukin-10; Tumour necrosis factor-alpha; Interferon-gamma; Biomarkers; Inflammation; Diagnosis

Core Tip: Ren et al’s study produced some main findings that suggest serum pro-inflammatory cytokines may serve as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of gastric carcinoma (GC). This study reveals that patients with GC have significantly elevated levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and interferon-γ compared to healthy individuals. Notably, the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrates that IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 show exceptional potential in distinguishing GC patients, with area under the curve values exceeding 0.7. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between the serum levels of IL-1β and IL-6 and both the T stage and N stage of the disease. These insights encourage further exploration and offer hope for advancements in gastric cancer diagnostics. In addition to this, there are several limitations to consider. One major limitation is the relatively small sample size, as well as the potential bias introduced by collecting data from a single center. Furthermore, the study did not evaluate the dynamic changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines at various stages of GC. Lastly, it is worth noting that the samples were collected over an extended period, nearly one year.