Author/Authors :
Fazli, Hamid Reza Department of Genetics - Islamic Azad University Marvdasht Branch, Marvdasht, Iran , Moradzadeh, Maliheh Rheumatology Research Center - Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran , Mehrbakhsh, Zahra Department of Biostaticstics - School of Health - Hamadan University of Medical sciences, Hamadan, Iran , Sharafkhah, Maryam Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center - Digestive Disease Research Institute - Shariati Hospital - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Masoudi , Sahar Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center - Digestive Disease Research Institute - Shariati Hospital - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Pourshams , Akram Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center - Digestive Disease Research Institute - Shariati Hospital - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Mohamadkhani, Ashraf Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center - Digestive Disease Research Institute - Shariati Hospital - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract :
BACKGROUND
Pancreatic cancer is considered as the most deadly tumor among gastrointestinal
cancers because of its poor prognosis. The frequently deregulated pathway in the cancer
cell is associated with an increased expression of various genes, including the synthesis
of fatty acids. We aimed to evaluate the level of serum fatty acid synthase (FASN) as a
diagnostic marker for early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
METHODS
Serum FASN levels were measured by ELISA in 92 patients with pancreatic
adenocarcinomas and in 92 healthy controls. Logistic regression analysis was used to
identify independent predictors of certain diagnostic categories.
RESULTS
Serum FASN levels were significantly higher in patients with pancreatic cancer than
in healthy controls (1.35 [0.98-2.3] ng/mL vs 1.04 [0.19-1.34] ng/mL, p < 0.001) and in
smokers compared to non-smokers (1.41 [0.79-2.52] ng/mL vs 1.07 [0.21-1.74] ng/mL, p
< 0.001). FASN levels and smoking were associated with increased risk of PC (1.54 [1.1-
2.14] ng/mL, p = 0.011 and 5.69 [2.68-12.09] ng/mL, p < 0.001, respectively).
CONCLUSION
Elevated serum FASN levels in patients with pancreatic cancer indicate the need for
the production of large numbers of lipids for the survival and proliferation of human cancer
cells and the diagnostic value of FASN as a new diagnostic biomarker.
Keywords :
Fatty acid synthase , Pancreatic cancer , Smoking , Biomarker
