[Clinical significance of ProGRP31-98 in patients with small-cell lung cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the clinical significance of serum level of pro-gastrin-releasing peptide 31-98 (ProGRP31-98) for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) in comparison with neuron-specific enolase (NSE).


METHODS
Serum level of ProGRP31-98 was measured by ELISa in 30 patients with SCLC, 30 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 10 patients with SCLC who had received treatment, 15 patients with benign lung diseases and 15 normal subjects. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to set the cut-off value and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy.


RESULTS
The serum level of ProGRP31-98 was significantly increased in patients with SCLC as compared to that of the normal controls as well as that in any other groups of patients. It was higher in SCLC patients with extensive disease than in patients with limited disease. In patients with distant metastases, it was also higher than in those without. Increase in serum ProGRP31-98 and NSE was both seen in SCLC patients, but the former was of much greater magnitude when compared to the normal controls. Given the cut-off levels of 40 pg/ml for ProGRP31-98 and 8 micrograms/L for NSE, their sensitivity of diagnosis in SCLC was 73% and 60%, respectively. The area under ROC curve of ProGRP31-98 was significantly larger than that of NSE. Similar results of diagnostic sensitivity and area under ROC curve were observed in SCLC patients with limited disease. All patients responded to chemotherapy showed marked decrease in ProGRP31-98.


CONCLUSIONS
ProGRP31-98 is a more specific and sensitive marker than NSE for the diagnosis of SCLC.
Yang
J
J
Department of Medical Oncology, First Clinical Medical College, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an 710061, China.
Li
R
R
Li
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000097:blood*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C087079:pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (31-98); D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase