DNA integrity index as a potential molecular biomarker in colorectal cancer

Abstract

Abstract Background Efficient approaches for early detection of colorectal cancer offer opportunities to gain better treatment outcomes. Blood-based molecular biomarkers as DNA integrity index (DII) might represent a promising tumor marker in the future. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical utility of the DII as a potential biomarker for colorectal cancer in 90 colorectal cancer patients, 30 patients with benign colorectal mass, and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. PCR was used to assess the concentration of both ALU115 and ALU247. DII was calculated as the ratio of Q247/Q115. Results DII was significantly higher in colorectal cancer patients than both patients with benign colorectal mass and healthy controls. ROC curve was plotted using DII and the best cut-off was ≥ 0.60 with diagnostic sensitivity 93.0%, specificity 65.0%, PPV 80.0%, NPV 86.0%, and efficiency 82% with AUC (0.872) while the best cut-off for CEA was ≥ 1.4 ng/mL with diagnostic sensitivity 87.0%, specificity 60.0%, PPV 76%, NPV 75%, and efficiency 76% with AUC (0.79). Conclusions Our results suggest that DII is better than CEA as an early marker for colorectal cancer detection and may be used as a candidate biomarker for malignancy.

Keywords

• Colorectal cancer
• DII
• ALU