Serum gastrin levels and colorectal neoplasia.

Abstract

Confirmation of an association between elevated serum gastrin concentrations and presence of colorectal tumors would have important implications with regard to screening procedures and therapeutic strategies. We compared fasting serum gastrin concentrations of patients with colorectal cancer (n = 91; mean age, 66 (range, 35-87) years), colorectal polyps (n = 89; mean age, 61 (range, 38-86) years), or a normal colonoscopy (n = 101; mean age, 62 (range, 34-82) years) in the period between 1983 and 1992. Median serum gastrin concentrations were, respectively, 20, 20, and 21 pmol/liter (not significant). We were unable to find a relation with histology of the polyp, presence or severity of dysplasia, and extent of cancer. This large study fails to show any difference in serum gastrin concentrations among the three studied groups.