Clinical interest of the combined use of serum CD26 and alpha-L-fucosidase in the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

The purpose of this study was to assess if the combination of CD26 and alpha-L-fucosidase has a role in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer, paying particular attention to the stages in which the tumour is not yet disseminated. CD26 concentration and alpha-L-fucosidase activity were determined in sera from 110 colorectal cancer patients and 46 donors. The combination of CD26 and alpha-L-fucosidase showed a specificity of 100% with a sensitivity of 64% in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer.