Objectives: To identify serum biomarkers associated with early gastric cancer.
Methods: Serum proteins or peptides were purified with weak cation exchange magnetic beads in 433 patients with gastric cancer and 120 healthy subjects. Distinct peaks were selected using Biomarker Wizard software. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC) was generated to analyze discrimination capability of peaks between gastric cancers and health people.
Results: Thirteen distinct peaks were identified between 42 gastric cancer and 42 health people matched by age and gender(P<0.001). There were 5 peaks (2745, 2768, 6629, 3402, and 6436 m/z) with AUC greater than 0.8. Peak of 6629 m/z was identified to be transthyretin. The sensitivity and specificity of 6629 m/z were 65.5% and 92.0%. The sensitivity of 6629 m/z was 59.4% in I(A gastric cancer.
Conclusion: Transthyretin precursor may be of value in the early diagnosis of gastric cancer.