Detection of vimentin (VIM) methylation in the serum of colorectal cancer patients.

ABSTRACT

AIM: Detection of colorectal cancer using serum assay of vimentin methylation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We attempted to detect vimentin methylation in the serum of colorectal cancer patients using quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (qMSP). RESULTS: Of 44 colorectal cancer patients, 4 (9%) exhibited methylation of the vimentin gene in their serum DNA by qMSP. Interestingly, methylation was significantly found in the serum of patients with liver metastasis, peritoneal dissemination, and distant metastasis (p = 0.026, p = 0.0029 and p = 0.0063, respectively), suggesting that vimentin methylation in serum might be detected more frequently in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. CONCLUSION: The high sensitivity of qMSP makes it possible to detect smaller amounts of tumor DNA in the serum, suggesting that qMSP can be used as a screening method for cancer.