title: Erythrocyte fatty acids as potential biomarkers in the diagnosis of advanced lung adenocarcinoma, lung squamous cell carcinoma, and small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the fatty acid profiles of erythrocyte total lipids from patients with advanced squamous cell lung carcinoma (SCC), lung adenocarcinoma (ADC), and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and benign lung diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and asthma) to reveal the fatty acids that could be used as lung cancer biomarkers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty, 20, 15, 17, and 19 patients with SCC, ADC, SCLC, COPD, and asthma, respectively, and 55 healthy participants were enrolled in our study. Fatty acid profiles were investigated using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry followed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Sialic acid (SA) and cytokeratins were measured by the thiobarbituric acid and immunoradiometric methods, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At least one of the main fatty acids might be used as a biomarker for every type of lung cancer: arachidonic (20:4n6), linoleic (18:2n6), and stearic (18:0) acids for ADC, SCC, and SCLC, respectively. These fatty acids showed diagnostic yields and operating characteristics similar to or higher than the commonly used SA or cytokeratin markers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fatty acids from erythrocyte total lipids might be used as diagnostic biomarkers of lung ADC, SCC, and SCLC. Their use in different aspects of the disease process needs to be explored.
authors.affiliation: From the Radiology Service and Lung Diseases Service, Santísima Trinidad Foundation Hospital, Salamanca, Spain; Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain; and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.affiliation: Lung Diseases Service, Santísima Trinidad Foundation Hospital, Salamanca, Spain;
authors.forename: Marina C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain; and.
authors.forename: Vicenta S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Martínez-Zorzano
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain. sanyaj@usal.es.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Yagüe
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005227:Fatty Acids
keywords: Cytokeratins; Erythrocyte; Fatty acids; Lung adenocarcinoma; Lung squamous cell carcinoma; Non–small cell lung cancer; Sialic acid; Small cell lung cancer; Tumor markers