RESUMO
Background: Conventional serum tumor markers (CSTM) are widely used for monitoring patients with cancer. However, their usefulness as a diagnostic tool is controversial in primary or metastatic liver cancer (PMLC). Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the most commonly requested CSTM in the diagnostic approach of PMLC. Material and Methods: Review of medical records of patients aged over 18 years with a liver biopsy, attended from 2005 to 2017 in a tertiary hospital and a regional cancer center in Colombia. The results of liver biopsies were compared with tumor markers such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), CA 19-9, CA 125 and prostate specific antigen (PSA) using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: We reviewed 2063 medical records and retrieved 118 eligible patients (59 cases and 59 controls, 70% males). Thirty percent had obstructive jaundice. There was heterogeneity in the amount of tumor markers requested according to medical criteria. Only CA 19-9 showed discriminative capacity (> 17.6 U/m), with a cut-off point lower than that reported in the literature and a sensitivity of 69.5%, specificity of 91.6%, a positive likelihood ratio (LR) of 8.32, and a negative LR of 0.33. Conclusions: Except for CA 19-9, tumor markers were not useful for the initial diagnostic approach in patients with suspected primary or metastatic malignant liver tumors.
Assuntos
Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Biomarcadores Tumorais/sangue , Neoplasias Hepáticas/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/sangue , alfa-Fetoproteínas/análise , Antígeno Carcinoembrionário/sangue , Valor Preditivo dos Testes , Estudos Retrospectivos , Curva ROC , Antígeno Prostático Específico , Antígeno CA-19-9/sangue , Antígeno Ca-125/sangue , Metástase Neoplásica/diagnósticoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Conventional serum tumor markers (CSTM) are widely used for monitoring patients with cancer. However, their usefulness as a diagnostic tool is controversial in primary or metastatic liver cancer (PMLC). AIM: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the most commonly requested CSTM in the diagnostic approach of PMLC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of medical records of patients aged over 18 years with a liver biopsy, attended from 2005 to 2017 in a tertiary hospital and a regional cancer center in Colombia. The results of liver biopsies were compared with tumor markers such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), CA 19-9, CA 125 and prostate specific antigen (PSA) using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: We reviewed 2063 medical records and retrieved 118 eligible patients (59 cases and 59 controls, 70% males). Thirty percent had obstructive jaundice. There was heterogeneity in the amount of tumor markers requested according to medical criteria. Only CA 19-9 showed discriminative capacity (> 17.6 U/m), with a cut-off point lower than that reported in the literature and a sensitivity of 69.5%, specificity of 91.6%, a positive likelihood ratio (LR) of 8.32, and a negative LR of 0.33. CONCLUSIONS: Except for CA 19-9, tumor markers were not useful for the initial diagnostic approach in patients with suspected primary or metastatic malignant liver tumors.
Assuntos
Biomarcadores Tumorais/sangue , Neoplasias Hepáticas/sangue , Neoplasias Hepáticas/diagnóstico , Antígeno Ca-125/sangue , Antígeno CA-19-9/sangue , Antígeno Carcinoembrionário/sangue , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Metástase Neoplásica/diagnóstico , Valor Preditivo dos Testes , Antígeno Prostático Específico/sangue , Curva ROC , Estudos Retrospectivos , alfa-Fetoproteínas/análiseRESUMO
The effects of different pHs (4, 5 and 6), temperatures (4, 20 and 80 °C) and storage (up to 12 days) on differential tristimulus colorimetry and betalain content related to the colour of yellow pitaya (Selenicereus megalanthus) have been investigated. The peel of the yellow pitaya was extracted with different solvents to see its colorant capacity. Highly-acidic extracts (pH 4) showed the lowest betalain content, chroma (C* ab = 60 against 70) and the yellow component of the colour (b*). Storage temperature manifested a great influence on CIELAB parameters when yellow pitaya peel was added to highly-acidic foodstuffs, with a tendency towards red hues (h ab , from 100° to 85°) and remarkable changes on lightness (L*, from 90 to 75) as temperature increased. However, low-acidic extracts (pH 5 and 6) were superior from a colour stability standpoint, not being influential the temperature of storage. All colour changes according to pH and temperature were visually appreciable by human eyes (∆E* ab > 3). New opportunities for diversification of colorant market could be possible by employing yellow pitaya peel as natural resource.