Discrimination of pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis by LC-MS metabolomics.

Lindahl A, Heuchel R, Forshed J, Lehtiö J, Löhr M, Nordström A

Metabolomics 13 (5) 61 [2017-04-01; online 2017-04-01]

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death in Europe with a 5-year survival rate of <5%. Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a risk factor for PDAC development, but in the majority of cases malignancy is discovered too late for curative treatment. There is at present no reliable diagnostic marker for PDAC available. The aim of the study was to identify single blood-based metabolites or a panel of metabolites discriminating PDAC and CP using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). A discovery cohort comprising PDAC (n = 44) and CP (n = 23) samples was analyzed by LC-MS followed by univariate (Student's Glycocholic acid, N-palmitoyl glutamic acid and hexanoylcarnitine were identified as single markers discriminating PDAC and CP by univariate analysis. OPLS-DA resulted in a panel of five metabolites including the aforementioned three metabolites as well as phenylacetylglutamine (PAGN) and chenodeoxyglycocholate. Using LC-MS-based metabolomics we identified three single metabolites and a five-metabolite panel discriminating PDAC and CP in two independent cohorts. Although further study is needed in larger cohorts, the metabolites identified are potentially of use in PDAC diagnostics.

Affiliated researcher

PubMed 28413374

DOI 10.1007/s11306-017-1199-6

Crossref 10.1007/s11306-017-1199-6

pii: 1199
pmc: PMC5376388


Publications 9.5.0