Diagnostic performance of combined serum soluble B7-H3 and periostin detection in early gastric cancer

CAO Hui; HOU Liangxue; LIU Junqi

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1009-0460.2026.01.009

Abstract：Objective To explore the diagnostic value and clinical application potential of combined detection of serum soluble B7-H3(sB7-H3)and periostin(POSTN)in early gastric cancer.Methods A total of 90 gastric cancer patients treated at Shangqiu First People's Hospital between January 2020 and June 2023 were selected as the study subjects(gastric cancer group).Additionally,90 patients with benign gastric lesions admitted during the same period were enrolled as the control group.Baseline data from all participants were collected,and serum levels of sB7-H3 and POSTN were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Differences in baseline characteristics and serum levels of sB7-H3 and POSTN between the two groups were compared.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify independent factors influencing the occurrence of early gastric cancer.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to evaluate the diagnostic and predictive value of serum levels of sB7-H3 and POSTN,and their combined detection for early gastric cancer.Results There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in age,body mass index,smoking history,alcohol consumption history,history of hypertension,history of diabetes,or lipid levels(total cholesterol and triglycerides)(all P＞0.05).The proportion of males(71.11％vs.54.44％,P=0.021)and the Helicobacter pylori(Hp)infection rate(93.33％vs.56.67％,P＜0.001)were significantly higher in the gastric cancer group compared to the control group.The serum levels of sB7-H3 and POSTN in the gastric cancer group were(43.42±5.68)ng/mL and(21.51±4.12)ng/mL,respectively,both significantly higher than(36.97±5.31)ng/mL and(17.03±3.86)ng/mL in the control group(all P＜0.001).Subgroup analysis revealed that the expression levels of sB7-H3 and POSTN were significantly higher in patients with poorly/undifferentiated tumors,lymph node metastasis,TNM stage ⅠB,and Hp-negative status(all P＜0.001).Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified Hp infection(OR=2.543,95％CI:1.452-4.454),sB7-H3(OR=3.209,95％CI:1.645-6.261),and POSTN(OR=2.859,95％CI:1.560-5.239)as independent risk factors for early gastric cancer.Diagnostic performance evaluation showed that the areas under the ROC curve(AUC)for diagnosing early gastric cancer using sB7-H3 and POSTN alone were 0.828(95％CI:0.765-0.880)and 0.797(95％CI:0.731-0.853),respectively.The AUC for their combined diagnosis increased to 0.887(95％CI:0.831-0.929),and its diagnostic efficacy was significantly superior to that of either single indicator(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Serum sB7-H3 and POSTN serve as potential biomarkers for early gastric cancer,with their expression levels correlating with malignant tumor characteristics and constituting independent risk factors.The combined detection of these two markers significantly enhances diagnostic efficacy,offering a novel strategy for the non-invasive auxiliary diagnosis of early gastric cancer.