Significance of CEA and VEGF as Diagnostic Markers of Colorectal Cancer in Lebanese Patients
Hashem A. Dbouk1, 3, Ayman Tawil2, Fahd Nasr1, Loucine Kandakarjian2, Raghida Abou-Merhi*, 1
1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences I, Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon
2 Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon
3 Currently at: Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
Abstract
Carcinoembryonic antigen and vascular endothelial growth factors are among the most important prognostic markers of colorectal cancer. Testing for these markers independently has been of limited value in screening for this tumor. The aim of this study is to determine the importance of simultaneous blood CEA and VEGF level determinations in diagnosis of colorectal cancer. Thirty-six patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer along with eight healthy controls were tested by ELISA for CEA and VEGF levels in serum and plasma, respectively. The positive predictive value of these markers was 95.4% for CEA and 89.5% for VEGF, and for combined CEA and VEGF was also high at 88%. Combined CEA and VEGF blood level assay constitutes a useful panel in detecting patients with colorectal cancer. Positive results allow selection of a subgroup of patients with a high tumor risk; therefore, such tests comprise valuable tumor diagnostic tests to add to current detection methods.
Keywords: Carcinoembryonic antigen, vascular endothelial growth factor, colorectal cancer.
Article Information
Article History:
Received Date: 24/8/2007
Revision Received Date: 27/8/2007
Acceptance Date: 22/10/2007
Electronic publication date: 8/11/2007
Collection year: 2007
© Abou-Merhietal.; Licensee Bentham Open.
open-access license: This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (
http: //creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
* Address correspondence to this author at the Departments of Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences I, Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon; Tel: +961-3-430515; Fax: +961-5-460796;
E-mail: ra98@aub.edu.lb
Open Peer Review Details |
Manuscript submitted on 24-8-2007 |
Original Manuscript |
Significance of CEA and VEGF as Diagnostic Markers of Colorectal Cancer in Lebanese Patients |