SERUM LEVELS OF LAMININ, TYPE-IV COLLAGEN AND TYPE-III PROCOLLAGEN PEPTIDE AS MARKERS FOR DETECTION OF METASTASIS

We investigated the clinical usefulness of serum laminin, type IV coll agen and type III procollagen peptide (PIIIP) as markers for detection of metastasis in patients with primary or metastatic bone and soft pa rt tumors. The subjects consisted of 28 patients with metastatic bone tumors, 18 with primary bone tumors (benign; 10, malignant; 8), 22 wit h primary soft part tumors (benign; 12, malignant; 10), 18 with cancer without metastasis (as controls to metastatic bone tumor) and 60 heal thy controls. Elevated levels of serum laminin, type IV collagen and P IIIP were not associated with any specific histological subtype, tumor size or location, and were clearly related to evidence of metastasis. Mean serum concentrations of laminin, type IV collagen and PIIIP were significantly higher in patients with metastasis than in patients wit hout metastasis. Positive correlations were observed among serum lamin in, type IV collagen and PIIIP levels in tumor patients. The sensitivi ty values for laminin, type IV collagen and PIIIP in detecting metasta sis were 83.7%, 83.3% and 80.5%, respectively, with specificity of 90. 0%, 86.1% and 86.1%. When two of the three markers were evaluated in i dentical blood samples, combined sensitivity and specificity values ex hibited further increases as compared to the sensitivity and specifici ty of each marker. The use of all three markers led to the best combin ed sensitivity and specificity. These findings suggest that the combin ation of these markers would be a valuable screening test in predictin g metastasis.