Lipopolysaccharide-binding proteins and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoproteins as novel screening biomarkers for advanced adenoma and colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND: Advanced colorectal adenomas are precancerous lesions of colorectal cancer (CRC), and early screening and diagnosis are highly important for improving patient prognosis. However, traditional blood tumor markers have poor diagnostic efficacy for advanced adenoma (AA) and early-stage CRC. METHODS: We collected serum samples from normal controls, AA patients, and CRC patients (before and 48 h after surgery). Using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method, we compared the serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) levels among the three groups. Additionally, we analyzed and compared the serum LBP and VASP levels with the clinicopathological features of the tumors. Finally, we plotted receiver operating characteristic curves, calculated the area under curve and cutoff points, and evaluated the diagnostic efficacy of serum LBP and VASP for AA and CRC patients. RESULTS: Serum LBP and VASP levels were significantly greater in patients with AA and CRC than in healthy controls, and decreased significantly postoperatively compared with preoperatively. Compared with clinicopathological features, serum LBP levels were significantly greater in patients with severe dysplasia in adenomas, whereas serum VASP levels were significantly greater in patients with larger tumors, advanced stages, poorer tumor differentiation, and KRAS gene mutations. Compared with traditional tumor markers, serum LBP and VASP demonstrate good diagnostic efficacy for AA and CRC. CONCLUSION: Our study innovatively proposes that the serum LBP and VASP proteins could serve as potential novel biomarkers for noninvasive screening of colorectal tumors, with better diagnostic efficacy than traditional blood tumor markers.