The Clinical Utility of Serum CXCR-2 Assessment in Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Patients.

Background/aim: The current study aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of the levels of the C-X-C-motif chemokine receptor-2 (CXCR-2) serum receptor in comparison to the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) tumor marker and - the C-reactive protein (CRP) inflammatory marker in the diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Materials And Methods: Our study comprised 59 patients with CRC and 46 healthy subjects. Serum concentrations of the analyzed proteins were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay and immunoturbidimetric methods.

Results: Serum levels of CXCR-2 were lower, while those of CEA and CRP were significantly higher in CRC patients in comparison to the control group. The diagnostic sensitivity of CXCR-2 was higher than that of CEA, and increased when CXCR-2 analysis was combined with CEA or CRP.

Conclusion: According to our knowledge, this is the first study concerning the significance of CXCR2 as a CRC biomarker. Measurement of the serum levels of CXCR-2 may improve the diagnosis efficiency of CRC patients, especially in combination with the tumor marker CEA.