Plasma biomarkers distinguish non-small cell lung cancer from asthma and differ in men and women.
BACKGROUND
Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of deaths caused by cancer worldwide. A diagnostic test for LC is needed for monitoring high-risk populations.


METHODS
Fifty-seven markers were measured using multiplex immunoassays of plasma of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); (245 men, 114 women, 1 unknown), asthma (67 men, 111 women, 2 unknown) and of healthy controls (165 men, 122 women, 1 unknown). Mass spectrometry was used for biomarker discovery. A support vector machine (SVM) was used for data analysis.


RESULTS
When all biomarkers and both genders were co-analyzed, SVM classified NSCLC and asthma with an accuracy of 0.94. Restricting to NSCLC versus healthy using best subsets of variables (males: epidermal growth factor (EGF), interleukin-8 (IL-8), soluble Fas (sFas), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1); females: EGF, soluble cluster of differentiation 40 (sCD40) ligand, IL-8) yielded sensitivity and specificity of 1. Expression of eleven mass spectrometric biomarkers differed between pathologies.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant inter-pathology and gender differences between biomarkers may improve diagnosis of LC.
Cancer Prevention and Cure Ltd, 12000 Network Blvd., Suite B-200, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA. eizbicka.g4@gmail.com
Elzbieta
E
Izbicka
Robert T
RT
Streeper
Joel E
JE
Michalek
Christopher L
CL
Louden
Armando
A
Diaz
David R
DR
Campos
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D057225:Data Mining / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor