Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine

Title abbreviation: Adv Clin Exp Med
JCR Impact Factor (IF) – 2.1
5-Year Impact Factor – 2.2
Scopus CiteScore – 3.4 (CiteScore Tracker 3.4)
Index Copernicus  – 161.11; MEiN – 140 pts

ISSN 1899–5276 (print)
ISSN 2451-2680 (online)
Periodicity – monthly

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Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine

2006, vol. 15, nr 1, January-February, p. 11–16

Publication type: editorial article

Language: English

Clinical Use of the Tumor Marker Tissue Polypeptide Specific Antigen in Gastrointestinal Cancer

Przydatność kliniczna swoistego polipeptydu tkankowego jako markera w raku żołądkowo−jelitowym

Helena Goike1,, Roland Einarsson2,

1 IDL Biotech AB, Bromma, Sweden

2 CanAg Diagnostics, Gothenburg, Sweden

Abstract

TPS (tissue polypeptide specific antigen) is a well−documented tumor marker for epithelial malignancies. It measures an antigenic determinant associated with human cytokeratin 18, utilizing an epitope defined by the monoclonal antibody M3. TPS is a marker of tumor cell activity, rather than the more commonly used markers related to tumor burden. The main clinical value of TPS lies in early detection of recurrent disease and in rapid assessment of treatment efficacy. Decreasing TPS levels during therapy monitoring indicate response and in case of a fast decrease, a favorable prognosis is often indicated. Further, increasing TPS levels in patients with clinically stable disease or partial remission is a reliable indicator of progression with a considerable lead time. When tumor marker determinations are applied in a proper way in the appropriate situation, the biomarker results can assist the oncologist. TPS has been shown to be of value in gastrointestinal malignancies, the site of more cancers than any other body organ system as exemplified by colorectal, gastric and pancreatic cancers. In advanced colorectal cancer, TPS is a powerful parameter during post−surgical follow−up and in monitoring palliative treatment. TPS levels significantly correlate with clinical outcome and therapy response. TPS is associated with aggressive disease and provide also prognostic information in colorectal cancer. In pancreatic cancer, TPS is a valuable indicator of the malignant process, important as a highly discriminative marker for differential diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma and chronic pancreatitis. Increased TPS levels are a powerful parameter that supports the identification and differentiation of the cancer patients with high sensitivity and specificity.

Key words

TPS, cytokeratin 18, gastrointestinal cancer, colorectal, pancreas, diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring

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