Midkine as a prognostic biomarker in oral squamous cell carcinoma
2008

Midkine as a biomarker in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Sample size: 60 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Ota K, Fujimori H, Ueda M, Shiniriki S, Kudo M, Jono H, Fukuyoshi Y, Yamamoto Y, Sugiuchi H, Iwase H, Shinohara M, Ando Y

Primary Institution: Kumamoto University

Hypothesis

The study aims to evaluate serum midkine concentrations as a prognostic tumour marker in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Conclusion

Serum midkine concentrations may be a useful marker for predicting the prognosis of OSCC patients.

Supporting Evidence

  • Serum midkine concentrations were significantly higher in patients with OSCC than in healthy controls.
  • Patients in high S-MK groups showed a significantly lower 5-year survival rate compared to patients in low S-MK groups.
  • Midkine mRNA showed higher expression in OSCC samples compared to normal mucosal samples.

Takeaway

This study found that a substance called midkine in the blood can help doctors understand how serious oral cancer is and how well patients might do.

Methodology

The study measured serum midkine concentrations in OSCC patients and healthy volunteers, performed real-time quantitative reverse transcription–PCR analysis, and used immunohistochemistry with fresh tumour samples.

Limitations

The study did not find a correlation between S-MK concentrations and conventional prognostic factors such as clinical stage, tumour size, and cervical lymph node metastasis.

Participant Demographics

60 OSCC patients (37 males, 23 females) with a mean age of 66.8 years and 134 healthy volunteers (73 males, 61 females) with a mean age of 63.8 years.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1038/sj.bjc.6604539

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