Association of Preoperative and Postoperative Plasma Syndecan-1 and Colorectal Cancer Outcome

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Biomarker Discovery
• Cancer Biology

Background:

• Colorectal cancer (CRC) is characterized by a glycocalyx (GCX) network.
• Syndecan-1 (SDC1), a GCX proteoglycan, is implicated in cancer progression.
• The prognostic value of SDC1 in CRC requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prognostic correlation of SDC1 in colorectal cancer.
• To evaluate SDC1 as a potential biomarker for CRC prognosis.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed SDC1 transcriptomic profiles in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) CRC cohort.
• Measured preoperative and postoperative serum SDC1 levels in 48 stage I-III CRC patients.
• Correlated SDC1 levels and dynamic changes with patient survival outcomes.

Main Results:

• TCGA data showed limited survival differences based on SDC1 expression in early-stage CRC.
• Serum SDC1 levels did not significantly differ preoperatively versus postoperatively in stage I-III CRC.
• A decrease or no change in serum SDC1 (preoperative vs. postoperative) was associated with significantly prolonged disease-free survival in stage II and III CRC patients (p=0.048).

Conclusions:

• Dynamic changes in serum SDC1 levels are a significant prognostic biomarker for stage II and III colorectal cancer.
• SDC1's role in CRC prognosis is linked to its dynamic expression patterns.
• This study identifies a novel application of SDC1 as a predictive marker in specific CRC stages.