title: Carcinoembryonic antigen, tissue polypeptide antigen and neuron-specific enolase pleural levels used to classify small-cell and non-small-cell lung cancer patients by discriminant analysis.
abstract: The classification of lung cancer into small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is essential for disease prognosis and treatment. For this purpose, we have tried to optimize the use of three tumour markers determined on pleural effusions, to differentiate SCLC from NSCLC by means of a canonic variable, generated by discriminant analysis, including subjects with histologically proven lung cancer. Discriminant analysis was performed by using carcinoembryonic antigen, neuron-specific enolase and tissue polypeptide antigen pleural levels, determined in 65 consecutive and unselected patients, histologically classified as 49 NSCLC and 16 SCLC. To validate the formula generated, a control group of 37 lung cancer patients (10 SCLC and 27 NSCLC), enrolled subsequently, was employed. Applying the discriminant analysis to SCLC and NSCLC patients a good classification was obtained (92% rate of correct classification). The aforementioned formula, applied to the validation group, showed a 92% rate of correct classification. This method, which is rapid, inexpensive and routinely applicable to malignant pleural effusions, may be reliably used to classify lung cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Angelis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiorucci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bisetti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ameglio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis*; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000032:analysis*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000737:chemistry; D019396:Tissue Polypeptide Antigen
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D010455:Peptides; D019396:Tissue Polypeptide Antigen; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase