title: TGF-β1, IL-6, and TNF-α in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid: useful markers for lung cancer?
abstract: Changes of cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) reflect immunologic reactions of the lung in pulmonary malignancies. Detection of biomarkers in BALF might serve as an important method for differential diagnosis of lung cancer. A total of 78 patients admitted into hospital with suspected lung cancer were included in our study. BALF samples were obtained from all patients, and were analyzed for TGF-β1, IL-6, and TNF-α using commercially available sandwich ELISA kits. The levels of TGF-β1 in BALF were significantly higher in patients with lung cancer compared with patients with benign diseases (P = 0.003). However, no significant difference of IL-6 (P = 0.61) or TNF-α (P = 0.72) in BALF was observed between malignant and nonmalignant groups. With a cut-off value of 10.85 pg/ml, TGF-β1 showed a sensitivity of 62.2%, and a specificity of 60.6%, in predicting the malignant nature of pulmonary disease. Our data suggest that TGF-β1 in BALF might be a valuable biomarker for lung cancer. However, measurement of IL-6 or TNF-α in BALF has poor diagnostic value in lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo 315020, China [2].
authors.forename: Zhongbo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Critical Care Medicine, Ningbo Medical Center, Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315041, China [2].
authors.forename: Zhiwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo 315020, China.
authors.forename: Shifang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo 315020, China.
authors.forename: Yiming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo 315020, China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo 315020, China [2] Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo 315020, China.
authors.forename: Zaichun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; C439524:TNF protein, human; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha