Clinical significance of detecting serum DLC1,p16 and RUNX3 gene methylation status in colorectal cancer

Objective To analyze the clinical significance of detecting serum DLC1,p16 and RUNX3 gene methylation status in colorectal cancer(CRC).Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of 85 CRC patients and 45 controls with benign colorectal diseases.Promoter methylation status was determined by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction(MSP).ResultsSerum methylation frequences of DLC1,p16 and RUNX3 gene in CRC were 42.4%(36/85),44.7%(38/85) and 34.1%(29/85),respectively,which were all significantly higher than those in benign colorectal diseases(P0.01).DLC1,p16 and RUNX3 gene rmethylation status was not correlated with clinicopathological parameters.Combined analysis of serum DLC1,p16 and RUNX3 methylation in CRC showed a higher sensitivity without reducing diagnostic specificity.Conclution Serum DLC1,p16 and RUNX3 methylation in CRC may become the new biomarkers for the diagnosis of CRC.Combined analysis of serum DLC1,p16 and RUNX3 methylation in CRC would improve the detectability efficiently.