Abstract: Objective To determine the levels of serum anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) before and after treatment in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients, and investigate the relationship of AGR2 and clinical pathological characteristics of NPC patients. MethodsThe serum levels of AGR2 were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 55 NPC patients (NPC group) before and after treatment, 30 patients with nasopharyngeal inflammation (inflammation group) and 20 healthy controls (health control group). The correlations between serum AGR2 before and after treatment and clinical pathological characteristics of NPC were analyzed. The NPC patients received radiotherapy and were followed up for 6 months, and the therapeutic effect was evaluated. ResultsThe serum AGR2 levels in NPC group before treatment, inflammation group and health control group were (22.92±5.24)μg/L, (9.50±4.15)μg/L and (8.75±2.18)μg/L respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (F=268.400, P=0.000). The level of serum AGR2 in NPC group was obviously higher than that in inflammation group (t=14.241, P=0.000) and health control group (t=15.254, P=0.000). The level of serum AGR2 in NPC group after treatment was significantly lower than that before treatment ［(15.15±10.33)μg/L vs. (22.92±5.24)μg/L, t=12.774, P=0.000］. In NPC patients, serum AGR2 levels of clinical ⅢⅣ stage group before and after treatment were higher than those of clinical ⅠⅡ stage group (t=5.938, P=0.000; t=0.759, P=0.032). Serum AGR2 levels of lymph node metastasis group before and after treatment were higher than those of no lymph node metastasis group (t=6.879, P=0.000; t=2.700, P=0.009). Serum AGR2 levels of carotid sheath and skull base involvement groups before treatment were higher than those of noninvolvement groups (t=8.342, P=0.000; t=8.255, P=0.009). Serum AGR2 levels of cranial nerve involvement group before and after treatment were higher than those of noninvolvement group (t=7.743, P=0.000; t=3.021, P=0.004). The serum AGR2 level after treatment in complete response patients ［(13.86±2.93)μg/L］ was significantly lower than that in partial response patients ［(15.85±3.24)μg/L， t=2.267, P=0.028］ and invalid patients ［(20.65±6.59)μg/L， t=4.935, P=0.000］. The serum AGR2 level in partial response patients was significantly lower than that in invalid patients (t=3.196, P=0.004). ConclusionThe level of serum AGR2 in NPC patients increases obviously. AGR2 plays an important role in the genesis and development of NPC, and can be used as a new marker of NPC for judging the clinical therapeutic efficacy and prognosis.

Key words: Nasopharyngeal neoplasms, Pathology, clinical, Anterior gradient 2