Analysis of insulin like growth factor 1 and insulin like growth factor binding protein 3 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum of patients with lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is recognized as a potent mitogen for many cancer cell lines and there is good evidence that lung cancer cells produce both IGF-1 and insulin like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3). The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels in serum and in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid by comparing lung cancer patients with healthy controls.


METHODS
BAL fluid and serum samples were obtained from 24 lung cancer patients and 12 healthy controls, and were analyzed for IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels by a two site immunoradiometric assay. The recovered BAL fluid was standardized by albumin to remove the variable of dilution and the data was expressed in epithelial lining fluid (ELF).


RESULTS
Serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were lower in lung cancer patients, but the difference between the groups did not reach a statistical significance. IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio in ELF was significantly lower in lung cancer patients (P=0.035). Mean IGF-1 level in ELF was determined to be significantly lower in patients with distant metastasis (P=0.04). Serum IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio was found to be significantly lower in patients with distant (P=0.04) and nodal metastasis (P=0.03). Tumor stage was negatively correlated with IGF-1 level in ELF (P=0.05, r=-0.4) and serum IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio (P=0.04, r=-0.4).


CONCLUSIONS
IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels both in serum and ELF might serve a clinical significance in patients with lung cancer. However, further studies comprising more cases are needed to investigate the clinical significance of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in lung cancer.
Unsal
Ebru
E
Department of Chest Diseases and Tuberculosis, Atatürk Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. unsalebru73@yahoo.com
Köksal
Deniz
D
Yurdakul
Ahmet Selim
AS
Atikcan
Sükran
S
Cinaz
Peyami
P
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I