Diagnostic performance of biomarkers in colon vs. rectal cancer: A retrospective comparative study

Aim: Colon cancer and rectal cancer are collectively called colorectal cancer (CRC), owing to their distinct anatomical, embryological, and functional features. The study aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of various biomarkers, including liver enzymes, lipid levels, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), in differentiating between colon and rectal cancers.

Materials and Methods: The study included 70 patients with confirmed histopathology of CRC (46 patients with colon cancer (CC) and 24 patients with rectal cancer (RC), and 40 healthy control individuals. Fasting blood samples were collected to measure liver enzymes, lipid levels, and CEA levels via using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method.

Results: No statistically significant age difference (p = 0. 417) was seen in all groups. A statistically significant differences were revealed in the distribution of body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.006): 31.4% of colon cancer patients were overweight, compared to 14.3% of rectal cancer patients and 11.4% categorized as obese. A statistically significant difference was also observed in the distribution of sex (p = 0.0269): 41.4% of colon cancer patients were male, and 24.3% were female, 24.3% of rectal cancer patients were male, and 10% were female. The findings showed that the CEA, liver enzymes, and lipid levels exhibited excellent diagnostic performance for both CC and RC. Conclusions: These results highlight the clinical significance of these biomarkers in routine evaluations which can enhance therapeutic management and early diagnosis ultimately increasing survival and cure rates. KEY WORDS: colon cancer (CC), rectal cancer (RC), liver enzymes, lipid profiles, CEA biomarkers.