Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-2021

Publication Title

Gastric cancer : official journal of the International Gastric Cancer Association and the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association

Keywords

JGM

JAX Source

Gastric Cancer 2021 May; 24(3):589-601

Volume

24

Issue

3

First Page

589

Last Page

601

ISSN

1436-3305

PMID

33277667

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10120-020-01143-8

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Gastric cancer patients generally have a poor outcome, particularly those with advanced-stage disease which is defined by the increased invasion of cancer locally and is associated with higher metastatic potential. This study aimed to identify genes that were functional in the most fundamental hallmark of cancer, namely invasion. We then wanted to assess their value as biomarkers of gastric cancer progression and recurrence.

DESIGN: Data from a cohort of patients profiled on cDNA expression arrays was interrogated using K-means analysis. This genomic approach classified the data based on patterns of gene expression allowing the identification of the genes most correlated with the invasion of GC. We evaluated the functional role of a key protein from this analysis in invasion and as a biomarker of recurrence after curative resection.

RESULTS: Expression of secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4) was identified as directly proportional to gastric cancer invasion. This finding was validated in multiple, independent datasets and its functional role in invasion was also confirmed using invasion assays. A change in serum levels of SFRP4 after curative resection, when coupled with AJCC stage, can accurately predict the risk of disease recurrence after curative therapy in an assay we termed PredictR.

CONCLUSIONS: This simple ELISA-based assay can help predict recurrence of disease after curative gastric cancer surgery irrespective of adjuvant therapy. The results require further evaluation in a prospective trial but would help in the rational prescription of cancer therapies and surveillance to prevent under or over treatment of patients after curative resection.

Comments

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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