Clinical significance of serum soluble E-cadherin in colorectal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND

E-cadherin expression has been associated with an outcome in patients with colorectal cancer, and serum levels of soluble E-cadherin (sE-cadherin) are significantly elevated in patients with malignant disease. However, the prognostic value of serum sE-cadherin level has not been demonstrated in colorectal cancer.

METHODS

Serum samples were collected from 186 patients with colorectal cancer and 21 normal volunteers. Serum sE-cadherin levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. We investigated the relationship between serum sE-cadherin level and clinicopathologic findings.

RESULTS

Mean serum sE-cadherin levels were significantly higher in CRC patients than in controls. Mean sE-cadherin levels were significantly correlated with hepatic metastasis, UICC classification, and poor prognosis. Elevated serum sE-cadherin level was an independent risk factor for predicting poor prognosis, and was an independent marker for predicting hepatic metastasis. Among patients with synchronous hepatic metastases, the prognosis was significantly worse in patients with elevated serum sE-cadherin levels than in those with lower levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative elevated sE-cadherin level is associated with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer. Measuring serum sE-cadherin may provide valuable information for predicting prognosis in patients with hepatic metastasis.