title: Clinical significance of serum mitochondrial DNA in lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical significance of serum mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum mtDNA from 65 lung cancer patients, 20 patients with benign lung diseases and 55 healthy individuals was quantified using real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR). Data were analyzed using statistical software SPSS 13.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum mtDNA levels in lung cancer patients were significantly higher, compared to those in patients with benign lung diseases and healthy individuals (u=108, p=0.000; u=293, p=0.000), and closely associated with TNM stage (p=0.01). The use of serum mtDNA facilitated detection of lung cancer at a cutoff value of 0.74×10⁴ copies/μL with a sensitivity of 86.2% and specificity of 80.7%. However, serum mtDNA levels were not associated with patient age, gender, histological type, and lymph node metastasis (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quantification of serum mtDNA using FQ-PCR potentially serves as a novel complementary tool to improve the clinical screening and detection of lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratories, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Lei
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Juan-Juan
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yan-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Cheng-Jun
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Feng-Zeng
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D056915:DNA Copy Number Variations; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
keywords: Diagnostic efficacy; Lung cancer; Serum mitochondrial DNA