We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Game-Changing Tumor Marker Test Detects Gastric Cancer with Nearly 90% Accuracy

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 20 Nov 2023

Gastrointestinal cancers like esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancer often reach an advanced stage before being detected, making effective treatment challenging. More...

Identifying a biological marker that signals the presence of a tumor is crucial for early detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of cancer and its treatment. Such markers are particularly vital for cancers like gastric cancer, where early-stage treatment significantly improves outcomes and survival rates. Researchers have now identified the stromal cell-derived factor 4 (SDF-4) protein as a promising marker for cancer. This discovery is significant because simple blood tests can detect this protein, indicating its potential for early gastric cancer detection.

Current blood tests for cancers such as gastric, colorectal, and breast cancer have relied on tumor markers like CEA and CA19-9. However, these markers don't always detect every cancer accurately, and there's a need to improve their precision. Other proposed markers face hurdles such as complex and expensive measurement processes or require invasive procedures, limiting their practicality. A research team led by Nagoya University (Nagoya, Japan) set out to develop new tumor markers for early cancer detection. They focused on proteins secreted by cancer cells and identified SDF-4 as a promising marker. When they measured SDF-4 levels in blood samples from cancer patients and healthy individuals, they consistently found higher levels in those with various cancers, including gastric, esophageal, colorectal, pancreatic, breast, and liver cancers.

Sensitivity and specificity are critical in cancer diagnosis. Sensitivity measures how well a test can identify the disease in affected individuals, while specificity assesses its accuracy in healthy individuals. The team's research on the SDF-4 protein revealed a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 99%, surpassing the sensitivity of traditional tumor markers like CEA (13%) and CA19-9 (17%) in detecting cancer patients. Notably, high levels of the protein were observed in patients with early-stage (stage I) gastric cancer. This suggests that SDF-4 could be a significant marker for detecting cancer at an early stage, potentially before symptoms become evident.

“There are two ways in which SDF4 outperforms conventional tumor markers as a diagnostic marker. The first is that it can diagnose patients with early-stage cancer and the second is that it is useful as a diagnostic marker for various types of cancer,” said Dr. Takahiro Shinozuka, the first author of the study whose findings were published in Scientific Reports. “We are working with a company to develop measurement devices that can be used for cancer screening. If these efforts are successful, we hope to introduce SDF4 into actual cancer screening, helping in the early detection of cancer.”

Related Links:
Nagoya University


Gold Member
Quantitative POC Immunoassay Analyzer
EASY READER+
POC Helicobacter Pylori Test Kit
Hepy Urease Test
New
Rapid Molecular Testing Device
FlashDetect Flash10
New
Capillary Blood Collection Tube
IMPROMINI M3
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: The microfluidic device for passive separation of platelet-rich plasma from whole blood (Photo courtesy of University of the Basque Country)

Portable and Disposable Device Obtains Platelet-Rich Plasma Without Complex Equipment

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) plays a crucial role in regenerative medicine due to its ability to accelerate healing and repair tissue. However, obtaining PRP traditionally requires expensive centrifugation... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: Prof. Nicholas Schwab has found a biomarker that can predict treatment outcome of glatirameracetate in MS patients (Photo courtesy of Uni MS - M. Ibrahim)

Simple Genetic Testing Could Predict Treatment Success in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients starting therapy often face a choice between interferon beta and glatiramer acetate, two equally established and well-tolerated first-line treatments. Until now, the decision... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: New diagnostics could predict a woman’s risk of a common sexually transmitted infection (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

New Markers Could Predict Risk of Severe Chlamydia Infection

Chlamydia trachomatis is a common sexually transmitted infection that can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and other reproductive complications when it spreads to the upper genital tract.... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: (A) Normal skin and (B) possible pathology in ALS skin (Photo courtesy of Biomolecules and Biomedicine (2025) DOI: 10.17305/bb.2025.12100)

Skin-Based Biomarkers to Enable Early Diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that damages motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, causing muscle weakness, paralysis, and death within three to five... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.