Biomarkers for detecting colorectal cancer non-invasively: DNA, RNA or proteins?

Table 1 Non-invasive protein (including cytokine) biomarkers used for colorectal cancer detection

Study setting	Sample type	Marker type	Biomarker(s)	Sensitivity (or its range)	Specificity (or its range)	Ref.
Screening (reviewed)	Stool	Protein	Haemoglobin (FIT)	66.0%-74.0%	84.0%-95.0%	[31]
Case-control (reviewed)	Stool	Protein	M2-PK	68.0%-93.0%	70.0%-97.5%	[32,33]
Case-control	Stool	Protein	MMP 9	89.30%	91.20%	[34]
Case-control	Stool	Protein panel	Complement C3, Lactotransferrin, Haemoglobin subunit α1 and Haptoglobin	71.00%	95.00%	[35]
Case-control	Serum	Protein	CA11-19	98.00%	84.00%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein (cytokine)	MIC-1 (GDF15)	43.80%	96.70%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein (cytokine)	IL-6	28.0%-89.5%	46.0%-94.0%	[37]
Case-control	Serum	Protein (cytokine)	IL-8	70.00%	91.00%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein (cytokine)	Growth-related gene product β1	56.10%	95.30%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein	Cyr61	83.00%	97.00%	[38]
Case-control	Serum	Protein	Β6-integrin	69.80%	100.00%	[39]
Case-control (reviewed)	Serum	Protein	TIMP-1	52.0%-85.0%	60.0%-95.0%	[40]
Case-control	Serum	Protein	RBP4	74.90%	81.70%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein	THBS2	64.90%	87.10%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein	TFF3	74.20%	94.80%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein	COL3A1	98.80%	69.10%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein	COL10A1	63.00%	85.00%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein	AZGP1	55.80%	85.00%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein	Angiopoietin-2	79.30%	82.40%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein	Kininogen	63.60%	65.90%	[36]
Case-control	Plasma	Protein	Melanotransferrin	48.20%	92.50%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein panel	RBP4 and CEA	80.80%	91.20%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein panel	TFF3 and CEA	89.40%	87.80%	[41]
Case-control	Serum	Protein panel	sDC-SIGN and sDC-SIGNR	98.70%	94.80%	[42]
Case-control	Serum	Protein panel	IGFBP-3 and CEA	75.00%	90.00%	[43]
Case-control	Serum	Protein panel	AZGP1, CEA and CA19-9	67.50%	82.50%	[36]
Case-control	Serum	Protein panel	IGFBP2, DKK3 and PKM2	73.00%	95.00%	[36]
Case-control	Plasma	Protein panel	BAG4, IL6ST, VWF, EGFR and CD44	73.00%	90.00%	[44]
Case-control, prospective	Serum	Protein panel	CEA, hs-CRP, CYFra21-1 and Ferritin	60.0%-70.0%	81.0%-89.0%	[45]

FIT: Faecal immunochemical test.