Title:β-Crosslaps as a Marker for Bone Metastases in Renal Cell Cancer
Volume: 5
Issue: 2
Author(s): Katharina Melber and Gerhard M. Oremek
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Bone metastasis, bone turnover marker, β-Crosslaps, renal cell cancer, renal cell carcinoma, tumor marker
Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic significance of the bone resorption
marker β-Crosslaps for the detection of bone metastases in renal cell cancer patients. β-Crosslaps concentrations
were measured in serum samples from 87 renal cell cancer patients. Of these, 35 men, 19
women, and 17 boys showed no bone involvement. 15 men and two women suffered from bone metastases.
When comparing women with and without bone metastases by using an optimal cut off value (11.25ng/ml), the
sensitivity of β-Crosslaps for detecting bone metastases was 100% and the specificity was 57.89%. Using an optimal cut
off value (81.2ng/ml) in men, the sensitivity and specificity for detecting bone metastases was 93.33% and 91.42%, respectively.
There was a significant increase (p < 0.01) in β-Crosslaps in patients with renal cell cancer as compared to
healthy subjects. This difference existed even in the patients without bone metastases. Furthermore, the β-Crosslaps values
increased with the tumor-node-metastases (TNM) system (T-value). β-Crosslaps were suitable as a diagnostic tool for
the detection of bone metastases in men with renal cell cancer. In addition, the study showed a significant increase of the
β-Crosslaps concentration in renal cell cancer patients without bone metastases, accompanied by an increase as the TNM
stage (T-value) increased. β-Crosslaps could be useful as a tumor marker for renal cell cancer. Additionally a review of
recent patents on tumor markers is provided.
