title: Clinical significance of serum transforming growth factor-β1 in lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) plays a critical role in human cancer development. Present study aimed to explore the clinical significance of serum TGF-β1 levels in patients with lung cancer and analyze the relationship between TGF-β1 and existing tumor markers for lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum was collected from 118 patients with lung cancer and 40 healthy volunteers. Serum TGF-β1 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the association with various clinical characteristics was analyzed. The diagnostic value of TGF-β1 was assessed alone and in combination with existing tumor markers for lung cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum TGF-β1 levels were significantly higher in patients with lung cancer compared to healthy volunteers [0.6 × 10(5) (0.4 × 10(5), 0.9 × 10(5))pg/ml vs 0.5 × 10(5) (0.3 × 10(5), 0.7 × 10(5))pg/ml, P=0.040]. Although there was a positive correlation between serum TGF-β1 levels and advanced stages, the significant difference was not found between early stages and advanced stages (P=0.116). The ability of serum TGF-β1 to discriminate lung cancer at a cutoff value of 79,168 pg/ml exhibited sensitivity of 30.6% and specificity of 97.5%. Serum TGF-β1 levels were correlated to cytokeratin fragment 21-1 (CYFRA21-1; R=0.308, P=0.020) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE; R=0.558, P=0.003). The diagnostic accuracy rates for the existing lung-tumor markers, as SCC, CYFRA21-1, and NSE, were increased from 20.0%, 34.6%, and 45.9% to 48.9%, 51.7%, and 54.5%, respectively by the inclusion of serum TGF-β1 levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quantification of serum TGF-β1 levels by ELISA may provide a novel complementary tool for the clinical diagnosis 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: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zi-He
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Cheng-Jun
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Yan-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hai-Xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Yong-Chang
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Cheng-Hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012372:ROC Curve; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
keywords: ELISA; Lung cancer; Transforming growth factor β1