Novel potential markers of nasopharyngeal carcinoma for diagnosis and therapy
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Updated: Jun 3, 2026
Identification of OTX1 and OTX2 As Two Possible Molecular Markers for Sinonasal Carcinomas and Olfactory Neuroblastomas
Published on: February 28, 2019
Faqing Tang1, Chunlei Xie, Damao Huang
1Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhuhai Hospital, Jinan University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, PR China. tangfaqing33@hotmail.com
Objective:
To search for markers of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) for diagnosis.
Design And Methods:
Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, we evaluated 51 serum metabolites in 49 NPC, 37 throat cancer patients and 40 healthy controls. High metabolites were selected and confirmed in NPC tissues. Sensitivity and specificity were appraised for 53 NPC diagnoses.
Results:
Metabolic profiling revealed that kynurenine, N-acetylglucosaminylamine, N-acetylglucosamine and hydroxyphenylpyruvate increased in NPC patient sera. Their sensitivity and specificity were respectively 79% and 71%, 78% and 69%, 83% and 68%, 84% and 73% for NPC diagnosis. These increases were confirmed in NPC cells. Four metabolites gradually increased from stage I to stage III. After radiotherapy, four metabolites decreased gradually, and tended to a normal level, and were associated with rate of tumor reduction.
Conclusion:
The results reveal that kynurenine, N-acetylglucosaminylamine, N-acetylglucosamine and hydroxyphenylpyruvate are potentially markers of NPC for diagnosis and therapy.
