Serum Midkine is a clinical significant biomarker for colorectal cancer and associated with poor survival

Abstract

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is one of the most common carcinomas worldwide. Early detection is crucial for reducing morbidity and mortality. Several promising studies described the use of midkine (MK) as a tumor marker. This study aimed to investigate a larger collective to ascertain if the preoperative serum midkine level (S-MK) is suitable as a marker for screening and if S-MK correlates with tumor progression and localization. It was also investigated for the first time whether patients with high S-MK show poor survival. This prospective single-center study included 299 patients with CRC. The preoperative serum midkine level (S-MK) was determined using ELISA. Established tumor markers Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) were collected for comparison. The median follow-up period was 65 months. S-MK was significantly elevated in patients with CRC (P