What question did this study set out to answer?

To validate methylated DNA markers for diagnosing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma across different populations.

January 14, 2026Cancer Prevention Research0 citations

Validation of Methylated DNA Markers for Esophageal Squamous Cancer: An International Study

CMCaroline L. MatchettMayo Clinic SSSeth W. SlettedahlWinnMed TWTaylor WfMayo Clinic

Key Points

To validate methylated DNA markers for diagnosing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma across different populations.
Tested fourteen methylated DNA markers on 177 tissue samples from Malawi.
Evaluated performance using area under the curve (AUC) metrics.
Utilized a random forest model for performance analysis.
Ten methylated DNA markers performed excellently with AUCs ≥0.85.
The random forest model achieved a high AUC of 0.97.
Findings indicate potential for cross-population applicability of MDMs.

Abstract

Abstract Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide and there are limited molecular screening options. Following a prior discovery and validation studies in subjects from the United States, China, and Iran, we aimed to validate methylated DNA markers (MDMs) for ESCC detection in Malawi, a country with one of the highest ESSC incidence. Fourteen MDMs were tested on 177 tissue samples. Ten MDMs showed excellent performance (AUCs ≥0.85); a random forest model achieved an AUC of 0.97. The consistent cross-population performance suggests potential for universal application of these MDMs and further justifies exploring non-endoscopic sampling methods, such as swallowed cell collection devices in combination with MDMs, for efficient and cost-effective screening in high-incidence populations.

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