Value of faecal exfoliated cells in colorectal tumour screening using SDC2 methylation test

Ann Med. 2023;55(2):2261111. doi: 10.1080/07853890.2023.2261111. Epub 2023 Oct 2.

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of a non-invasive methylation gene test in clinical colorectal tumour screening.

Method: The quantitative methylation-specific PCR technique was used to detect faecal methylated syndecan-2 (mSDC2) in patients who received the screening of colorectal cancer (CRC).To evaluate the positive predictive value (PPV) of mSDC2 in patients with colorectal cancer, advanced adenoma (AA), and colorectal tumor (CRN) in risk factor stratification.

Results: The PPV of CRC, CRC + AA and CRN in male patients were 28.03%, 43.55% and 56.24%, respectively, which were higher than female patients. The positive detection rate of mSDC2 and the PPV of CRC gradually increased with age; The PPV in patients aged over 80 years was up to 78.05%, which was more significant than in younger patients with CRC. The PPV of CRC, AA and CRN were 37.10%, 11.80% and 63.37%, respectively. mSDC2 has a high detection rate of 85-100% in AA with intramucosal carcinoma alone or in combination with severe atypical hyperplasia or villous adenoma.

Conclusion: The mSDC2 test has a higher PPV in patients with colorectal cancer and colorectal adenoma (AD), especially in high-risk groups over 50 years of age, and may help in the early diagnosis of colorectal tumours in the future.

Keywords: Colorectal tumour; mSDC2; methylation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenoma* / diagnosis
  • Adenoma* / genetics
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Colorectal Neoplasms* / genetics
  • DNA Methylation
  • Early Detection of Cancer / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Methylation
  • Middle Aged
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Syndecan-2 / genetics

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • SDC2 protein, human
  • Syndecan-2

Grants and funding

This study was supported by Qingyuan People’s Hospital Medical Research Fund 2019 [No. 20190214]; The special funds of the clinical research (No. QYRYCRC2023019) and infection immunization topic of open subject research in 2020 (No: 202301-408) from the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University.