Diagnosis of pancreaticobiliary malignancy by detection of minichromosome maintenance protein 5 in bile aspirates
2008

Detecting Pancreaticobiliary Cancer with Mcm5 in Bile

Sample size: 102 publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Ayaru L, Stoeber K, Webster G J, Hatfield A R W, Wollenschlaeger A, Okoturo O, Rashid M, Williams G, Pereira S P

Primary Institution: University College London

Hypothesis

Can Mcm5 levels in bile serve as a sensitive marker for pancreaticobiliary malignancy?

Conclusion

Mcm5 in bile is a more sensitive indicator of pancreaticobiliary malignancy than routine brush cytology.

Supporting Evidence

  • Mcm5 levels in bile were significantly more sensitive than brush cytology for detecting malignancy.
  • The percentage of nuclei positive for Mcm2 was higher in malignant tissue than in benign tissue.
  • The Mcm5 test detected additional cases of cancer not identified by brush cytology.

Takeaway

Doctors can find out if someone has pancreatic cancer by checking a special protein in their bile, which works better than the usual tests.

Methodology

The study involved analyzing Mcm5 levels in bile from patients with biliary strictures using an automated immunofluorometric assay.

Limitations

The sensitivity of the Mcm5 test may be affected by the cellularity of bile, which can be low in some samples.

Participant Demographics

Median age of participants was 67 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p=0.004

Confidence Interval

95% CI 70–91

Statistical Significance

p<0.0005

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1038/sj.bjc.6604342

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