The Prognostic Value Of Seven Soluble Proteins Measured In Plasma Or Serum From Patients With Colorectal Cancer In Tnm Stages I-Iii

35 Background: In colorectal cancer (CRC) several independent blood-borne biomarkers have been proposed as prognostic and/or predictive markers. However only CEA is at present recommended as a serological CRC biomarker. We have identified 6 other biomarkers and the aim of this study is to see if a combination of markers improves the prognostic and/or predictive value.Two-hundred and twenty-eight patients with CRC have been included in this study, all with TNM stages I-III. Overall survival (OS) was chosen as the primary endpoint with 93 events and the minimum follow-up was 47 months. Seven biomarkers measured in plasma or serum were analysed: CEA, TIMP-1, the 3 soluble uPAR forms suPAR(I-III), suPAR(I-III)+(II-III) and uPAR(I), PAI-1 and YKL-40. Multivariable analyses of OS were done using regression analysis and results presented by 3 and 5 year OS rates with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). All biomarker levels were analysed on the log scale (base 2).High levels of each of the included biomarker were significantly associated in a multivariable analysis (adjusted for age, gender, TNM stage, tumor localization, adjuvant chemotherapy,interaction between adjuvant therapy and biomarker) to poor prognosis in patients not receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. The results are shown for those patients (see Table). The uPAR forms were the only biomarkers significantly associated to OS in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Combining the markers resulted in an enhanced prediction of 3 and 5 year OS. For TNM stage II patients not receiving adjuvant therapy, the AUC was 0.765 for 3 year OS and 0.745 for 5 year OS. The corresponding AUC's for TNM stage III were 0.859 and 0.861.The presented combination of blood biomarkers are shown to predict OS with higher precision than any single marker for patients not receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and may provide useful information for use in the management of patients with CRC. [Table: see text].