USING FLOW CYTOMETRY MARKERS TO DETECT COLORECTAL CANCER AMONG EGYPTIAN PATIENTS

Mona A. Sadek, Lamiaa A. A. Barakat, Aly Hassan Maabed and Asmaa Mohamed Ali Abd Elhak*

ABSTRACT

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most frequent cancer and fourth cause of cancer related mortality around the world. Early detection and adenoma eradication contribute to decrease CRC mortality and incidence. There are a lot of extraordinary screening techniques which range from invasive and costly strategies such as flexible sigmoidoscopy, double contrast barium enema, and colonoscopy to more low-cost and non-invasive tests such as fecal occult blood test (FOBT). All these procedures have advantages and disadvantages in regards to their sensitivity, specificity, hazard, availability and cost yet they have been appeared to diminish CRC rate and mortality. There is a requirement for timely cheap and non invasive diagnosis method. Our aim in the present study was to evaluate the expression of CD133, CD44 and CD26 in Egyptian colorectal cancer patients by flow cytometry. These cell surface markers seemed to be useful in detection and distinguishing of tumor cells, in colon, rectum, and other tumors. This study included 100 CRC patient and 50 healthy individuals as control. The studied population consisted of 46 males (46%) and 54 females (54%) of patients group. The mean patients' age was 52.33 ±14.22 years. After Lymphocyte isolation and Preparation of tissue suspension, surface markers were labeled with PE-conjugated anti-CD133 and FITC-conjugated anti-CD44 antibodies, PE-conjugated Anti-CD26, and analyzed by a flow cytometer. The results of flow cytometric analysis for surface markers CD133, CD44 and CD26 obtained from patients group was highly significant increased as compared to that of healthy control group (P ≤ 0.001). The results of the present study suggest that increased CD133, CD44 and CD26 expressions are a useful marker for determination of CRC.

Keywords: Colorectal Cancer, Flow Cytometry, CD133, CD44, CD26.