[Significance and expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 and IGF binding protein 3 in serum of patients with lung cancer].
OBJECTIVE
Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) can strongly stimulate the proliferation of a variety of cancer cells, including lung cancer cells. This study was to discuss the possible role of IGFs in lung cancer development. We examined the expression level of IGF(1) and IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP(3)) in plasma of the patients with lung cancer and control subjects, and the relation of its level with clinical characteristics and biological behaviors of lung cancer was elucidated.


METHODS
Seventy-eight cases with lung cancer (A group), 35 with benign pulmonary disease (B group), and 14 healthy controls (C group) were included in this study. Serum IGF(1) and IGFBP(3) levels were measured with radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunoradiometricassay (IRMA), respectively.


RESULTS
Serum IGF(1) level and IGF(1)/IGFBP(3) ratio in A group [X+/-S,(570.67+/-185.80) microg/L,(0.23+/-0.16)] were significantly higher compared with those of B group[(466.53+/-142.42) microg/L,(0.14+/-7.12E-02)] and those of C group [(427.66+/-141.19) microg/L,(0.12+/-8.2E-02)]. But there was no significance difference (P=0.060) in IGFBP(3) levels between A group [(3133.60+/-1110.30) microg/L], B group [(3694.46+/-1534.03) microg/L], and C group [(4024.67+/-1373.31) microg/L], and there was no significance in the expression of IGF(1) and IGFBP(3) between B group and C group (P >0.05). For the cases with lung cancer in pre-chemotherapy, the serum IGF(1) level was higher in patients with lymphoid node metastasis, and IGFBP(3) level of them was significantly lower than those without metastasis(P< 0.05). Serum IGFBP(3) levels were lowest in the patients with bone metastases [(1933.14+/-715.21) microg/L, P< 0.05]. Fourteen post-chemotherapy patients showed a lower IGF(1) [(480.29+/-117.93)microg/L] than those in pre-chemotherapy[(661.76+/-153.54)microg/L](P< 0.05),whereas IGFBP(3) level was in inverse to IGF(1).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggested that IGF(1) and IGFBP(3) play important roles in the growth of lung cancer. Serum examination of them may have potential clinical value.
Wang
Hong
H
Department of Respiratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Lanzhou Medical College, Lanzhou, Gansu, PR China.
Wan
Yi-Xin
YX
Zhang
Qi-Kun
QK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000097:blood; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I