ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the methylation in promtor region of RASSF2 and sFRP1 in sporadic colorectal cancer patients in order to provide screening method for early colorectal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The methylation in promoter region of RASSF2 and sFRP1 in serum samples of 59 sporadic colorectal cancer patients and 59 healthy volunteers was detected by methylation specific PCR. The association between clinicopathological features of sporadic colorectal cancer patients and methylation in promoter region of RASSF2 and sFRP1 was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The methylation rates of RASSF2 and sFRP1 gene in serum of 59 sporadic colorectal cancer patients were 27.1% and 30.5%, significantly higher than those in healthy volunteers(0%, both P<0.01). The methylation of RASSF2 or sFRP1 occurred in 29(49.2%) patients, which was significantly higer than the methylation rate of single gene(P<0.05). No association was found between methylation ratio of RASSF2 and sFRP1 and clinicopathological features in sporadic colorectal cancer patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Methylation in promoter region of RASSF2 and sFRP1 is often detected in serum of colorectal cancer patients. The combination detection of methylation for the two genes may provide information for early screening of colorectal cancer.</p>