title: Significance of plasma hepatocyte growth factor in diagnosis of benign and malignant solitary pulmonary nodules.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to figure out the difference of serum hepatocyte growth factor (S-HGF) level between benign and malignant solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised 42 serum samples from SPNs patients and 10 serum samples of healthy donors. The HGF level was measured by the commercially enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By statistical analysis, the S-HGF levels of the malignant SPNs patients were significantly higher than that of control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the levels of S-HGF in malignant group were also significantly higher than that in benign group (P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference between the benign and control group (P > 0.05). The levels of S-HGF were also shown no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) in different pathologic types of lung cancer patients. In addition, the incidence of malignant SPNs increased when the S-HGF level ≥ 250 pg/ml.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The detection of S-HGF level may be a new detection method used for the rapid diagnosis of benign and malignant SPNs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University Changchun 130033, China.
authors.forename: Haixin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University Changchun 130033, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University Changchun 130033, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University Changchun 130033, China.
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University Changchun 130033, China.
authors.forename: Wenduan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University Changchun 130033, China.
authors.forename: Shengtao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.affiliation: Green Garden District Changchun City Hospital No. 1015, Chuncheng Avenue, Changchun 130062, China.
authors.forename: Donglin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor
keywords: Diagnosis; hepatocyte growth factor; solitary pulmonary nodules