Abstract:

Objective To explore expression of DKK-1 in esophageal cancer and its clinical significance. Methods Serum DKK-1 was determined by sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(Elisa) in 80 patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer and in 35 healthy subjects．Sensitivities of serum DKK-1, CEA and CYFRA21-1 in esophageal squamous cell cancer were analyzed. Results Serum DKK-1 level in  patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer was significantly higher than that of healthy subjects(P<0.001)．Based on the highest value of medicine reference of DKK-1(14.54 ng／ml)，its sensitivity and specificity were 66.25％ and 82.86％. There was a significant difference in sensitivity between esophageal cancers and healthy subjects(P<0．01)．Serum DKK-1 in esophageal squamous cell cancers was associated  with tumor size, TNM stage and lymph node metastasis(P<0．05),　but not associated with gender, age and differentiation grade(P＞0.05).　Sensitivity of DKK-1(66.25％) was significantly higher than that of CEA and CYFRA21-1 (39.44％,25.35％，P<0．01). Conclusion  DKK-1 plays an important role in the growth and metastasis of esophageal cancer and may be a new tumor marker or an important index in diagnosis of esophageal cancer．

Key words: Esophageal neoplasms； Tumor marker； Serodiagnosis