Serum LINC01133 combined with CEA and CA19-9 contributes to the diagnosis and survival prognosis of gastric cancer

Background: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) are currently 2 major diagnostic biomarkers for gastric cancer (GC). The aims of study were to detect the expression of long intergenic nonprotein coding RNA 1133 (LINC01133), and to evaluate its diagnostic and prognostic value in GC. Furthermore, the clinical performance of the joint detection of LINC01133, CEA and CA19-9 was also evaluate in GC.

Methods: The data were collected from 156 GC, 96 chronic superficial gastritis, 77 chronic atrophic gastritis patients and 89 healthy controls. LINC01133 expression was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Receiver operating characteristics analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of LINC01133, CEA, CA19-9 individually and jointly. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to conduct survival comparison analysis. Cox regression was used to screen the independent prognostic factors for GC.

Results: Serum LINC01133 expression was decreased in GC patients compared with chronic superficial gastritis, chronic atrophic gastritis and healthy controls, and had considerable diagnostic potential, and notably, the joint detection of LINC01133, CEA, and CA19-9 showed the highest diagnostic accuracy in distinguishing GC patients from healthy or gastritis patients. LINC01133 expression was associated with GC patients' CEA and CA19-9 levels, tumor size, differentiation, lymph node metastasis and tumor node metastasis stage. Low LINC01133 was associated with poor GC survival, and was an independent prognostic factor for GC.

Conclusion: Decreased serum LINC01133 had considerable diagnostic potential, and the joint detection of LINC01133, CEA, and CA19-9 might be a more efficient diagnostic strategy for GC patients. Reduced LINC01133 served as a prognostic biomarker to predict poor GC survival.