Methylated SLC19A3 DNA as a Cancer Biomarker
Author Information
Author(s): Ng Enders K. O., Leung Candy P. H., Shin Vivian Y., Wong Chris L. P., Ma Edmond S. K., Jin Hong Chuan, Chu Kent-Man, Kwong Ava
Primary Institution: The University of Hong Kong
Hypothesis
Hypermethylated promoter region of SLC19A3 may serve as a marker for cancer detection.
Conclusion
Aberrant SLC19A3 promoter hypermethylation in plasma may be a novel biomarker for breast and gastric cancer diagnosis.
Supporting Evidence
- SLC19A3 expression was significantly down-regulated in 80% of breast tumors.
- Methylated SLC19A3 DNA levels were effective in differentiating breast and gastric cancer from healthy subjects.
- The positive predictive value for breast cancer was 90% and for gastric cancer was 85%.
Takeaway
Scientists found a new way to detect breast and stomach cancer by looking for a special DNA marker in the blood.
Methodology
The study used RT-qPCR and methylation-specific qPCR to analyze SLC19A3 expression and methylation in tissue and plasma samples.
Limitations
The sample size is still small, and further validations in larger cohorts are necessary.
Participant Demographics
The study included 98 breast cancer patients, 65 gastric cancer patients, and 80 healthy controls, with a mean age of 58 years for breast cancer patients.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.005
Confidence Interval
95% CI 80.3% to 97.6%
Statistical Significance
p<0.005
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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