Autoimmunity to SOX2, clinical phenotype and survival in patients with small-cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Autoantibodies to SOXB1 antigens are commonly found in patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). It has not been established whether the presence of circulating SOX antibodies is associated with a specific paraneoplastic clinical phenotype, or if a tumour immune response to SOX antigens can affect prognosis in patients with SCLC in relation to other established prognostic factors.


METHODS
Using recombinant SOX2 in an ELISA, we analysed sera in a prospective study from 212 unselected SCLC patients, which included 35 patients with neurological paraneoplastic disorders, or other well characterised onconeural antibodies.


RESULTS
Overall, SOX2 antibodies were detected in 70 SCLC patients, with a sensitivity of 33% (95% CI 27-40%) and specificity of 97% (95% CI 94-99%) compared to controls matched for age, gender and smoking history. No single clinical phenotype was seen in relation to the presence of SOX2 antibodies in isolation. Multivariate analysis showed that the presence of SOX2 antibodies in SCLC patients without evidence of neurological paraneoplastic disorders or onconeural antibodies did not have a significant effect on survival when known prognostic factors were accounted for.


CONCLUSIONS
SOX2 antibodies are very specific markers for SCLC compared to matched non-tumour controls, but their presence does not seem to alter prognosis in this tumour type.
Maddison
Paul
P
Department of Neurology, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK. paul.maddison@nhs.net
Thorpe
Alison
A
Silcocks
Paul
P
Robertson
John F R
JF
Chapman
Caroline J
CJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D015551:Autoimmunity; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors / Q000276:immunology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016019:Survival Analysis
D001323:Autoantibodies; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C527782:SOX2 protein, human; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors