Comparative Analysis of Insulin-like Growth Factor I and Tumour-associated Antigens in Cancer Patients at the Time of Diagnosis Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a polypeptide hormone with structure similar to insulin. Many experimental data support the suggestion that risk of cancer is higher among persons with raised concentration of IGF-1 and some studies support the role of IGF-1 as a biomarker of increased risk of development of colorectal (CRC) and breast cancer (BC). We have determined IGF-1, CA19-9, CEA, CA72-4 for colorectal, CA15-3 and CEA for breast cancer to clarify utility of IGF-1 as a biomarker of cancer presence at the time of diagnosis. In total, 42 men and 52 women with CRC and 139 women with BC were examined. The cut-off level for IGF-1 concentration in serum was established from results of apparently healthy 27 men and 130 women. An IGF-1 and tumour-associated antigens were detected by chemiluminescence's method using analyser Immulite 2000 (Siemens). Elevated level of IGF-1 was detected in 42.8% of men and 30.7% of women with colorectal cancer. The highest detection rates for CRC using a two biomarker combination were for men as well as for women (57.1% and 57.6%). IGF-1 showed higher detection rates between women with breast cancer in postmenopause vs. women at premenopausal age (33.6% vs. 27.7%). IGF-1 can be used as an additional biomarker for selected colorectal and breast cancer patient groups.

Role of a combined soluble interleukine-2 receptor alpha (sIL-R2α) and CA-125 serum marker assay for detection of ovarian cancer Detection of ovarian cancer can be improved using a combined diagnostic test consisting of Ca-125 and serum interleukine-2 receptor alpha (sIL-R2α) at a particular threshold. The objective of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of a diagnostic marker assay that combined Ca-125 and serum interleukine-2 receptor alpha. A case-control study of 38 patients with ovarian cancer, 40 patients with benign ovarian diseases and 31 age-matched healthy controls was designed. Ca-125 and sIL-2Rα were detected in patients' serum by standardized chemiluminescent immunometric assays. For Ca-125, a standard cutoff level of 21 U/ml was applied and for sIL-R2α — two cutoff levels were calculated from women included in the control group — one as a mean concentration and the other as an upper limit of a 95% confidence interval. Mean serum concentrations among ovarian cancer patients for CA125 and sIL-2Rα were 265.9 ± 40.2 U/ml and 651.0 ± 50.5 U/ml, respectively. The upper limit of the 95% confidence interval for a healthy control group of women was 304.5 U/ml for sIL-2Rα. Sensitivity and specificity of 89.4% and 85.9% was achieved when CA125 was combined together with sIL-2Rα at a threshold of 304.5U/ml with the condition that both markers are elevated. Sensitivity and specificity of 92.5% and 88.4% was observed when both biomarkers were applied to menopausal women. Serum sIL-2Rα in combination with CA125 can be used as a differential diagnostic test for ovarian cancer at a specific threshold, especially among menopausal women.