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Published on: January 5, 2017
Endogenous urinary 3-hydroxyproline has 96% specificity and 44% sensitivity for cancer screening
I Okazaki1, S Matsuyama, F Suzuki
1Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
The Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine
|December 1, 1992
Summary
Urinary hydroxyproline levels, particularly 3-hydroxyproline, show potential for cancer screening in general and workplace populations. While elevated in cancer patients, early-stage detection sensitivity remains limited.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Oncology
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Endogenous urinary excretion of hydroxyprolines (3-hydroxyproline and 4-hydroxyproline) may serve as biomarkers.
- Assessing these biomarkers could aid in cancer screening for diverse populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a method for determining urinary 3-hydroxyproline and 4-hydroxyproline levels.
- To assess the utility of these hydroxyprolines as potential cancer screening biomarkers.
Main Methods:
- Urinary hydroxyproline levels were quantified using an amino acid autoanalyzer.
- Levels were compared between 97 cancer patients, 99 non-malignant disease patients, and 211 healthy individuals.
Main Results:
- Cancer patients exhibited significantly higher urinary 3-hydroxyproline and 4-hydroxyproline levels compared to healthy individuals and those with non-malignant diseases.
- 3-hydroxyproline demonstrated higher sensitivity (44%) for detecting stage II cancers than 4-hydroxyproline.
- Assay specificity was high for both hydroxyprolines, with 3-hydroxyproline showing 96% specificity against healthy individuals and 92% against non-malignant disease patients.
Conclusions:
- Urinary 3-hydroxyproline warrants further investigation as a cancer screening tool for community and workplace settings.
- Current data suggest limited effectiveness in detecting cancers at their earliest stages.
