title: Plasma neuron-specific enolase level as a prognostic marker in patients with non-small cell lung cancer receiving gefitinib.
abstract: Determination of the presence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation is useful for predicting the efficacy of gefitinib. However, the survival rate following the initiation of treatment with gefitinib varies among individuals. A retrospective study was conducted to investigate the associations of the pretreatment serum pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (pro-GRP) and plasma neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels to the patient survival rate following initiation of treatment with gefitinib in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving gefitinib treatment. Patients with NSCLC harboringEGFRgene mutations who received gefitinib therapy between 2004 and 2012 were included in the study. Data from a total of 41 patients were analyzed. The serum pro-GRP level was measured in 31 patients and the plasma NSE in 22 patients. The progression-free survival (PFS) (P=0.013) and overall survival (OS) (P=0.014, log-rank test) rates decreased as the plasma NSE level increased. Statistical analysis using a Cox proportional hazards regression model adjusted for age, gender, performance status (PS) and disease stage showed that higher NSE levels were associated with shorter PFS (P=0.021) and OS (P=0.0024). By contrast, no association was detected between the serum level of pro-GRP and survival rate. The results suggest that pretreatment NSE measurement could be clinically useful in patients with NSCLC scheduled to receive gefitinib treatment.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Minehiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inomata
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryuji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Azusa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tokui
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Taka
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Seisuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okazawa
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kambara
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Toyama Prefectural Central Hospital, Toyama, Toyama 930-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Kensuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Toyama University Hospital, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kashii
authors.affiliation: Health Administration Center, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Shoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tobe
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
authors.forename: Johji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Imura
keywords: epidermal growth factor receptor; gefitinib; lung cancer; neuron-specific enolase; prognosis