Prediction of gastric cancer metastasis through urinary metabolomic investigation using GC/MS

To gain new insights into tumor metabolism and to identify possible biomarkers with potential diagnostic values to predict tumor metastasis.

Human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells were implanted into 24 severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) mice, which were randomly divided into metastasis group (n = 8), non-metastasis group (n = 8), and normal group (n = 8). Urinary metabolomic information was obtained by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS).

There were significant metabolic differences among the three groups (t test, P < 0.05). Ten selected metabolites were different between normal and cancer groups (non-metastasis and metastasis groups), and seven metabolites were also different between non-metastasis and metastasis groups. Two diagnostic models for gastric cancer and metastasis were constructed respectively by the principal component analysis (PCA). These PCA models were confirmed by corresponding receiver operating characteristic analysis (area under the curve = 1.00).

The urinary metabolomic profile is different, and the selected metabolites might be instructive to clinical diagnosis or screening metastasis for gastric cancer.