Clinical significance of combined detection of serum tumor markers in patients with pulmonary cancer

Objective: To explore the significance of five serum tumor markers(TM) detection in the diagnosis of lung cancer. Methods: The serum levels of NSE, CYFRA 21-1, CEA, CA125 and SCC were detected with IRMA and ELISA in 73 patients with lung cancer, 22 patients with lung benign diseases and 25 healthy people. Results: The serum levels of the five TMs in patients with lung cancer were significantly higher than that of in patients with lung benign diseases and healthy people(P < 0.01). Although the five TMs levels in patients with lung benign diseases were slightly higher than that of healthy people, it was no statistical significance(P > 0.05). The sensitivity of NSE, CYFRA 211, CEA, SCC and CA125 in patients with lung cancer were 45.20, 41.09, 34.24, 53.42, 38.35, and the specificity of that were 80.85, 78.72, 80.85, 82.98, 74.47%. The sensitivity and specificity of five TMs combined detection were 93.15% and 44.68% respectively. Conclusion: The combined detection of five TMs is useful in the diagnosis of lung cancer. The reasonable combined detection can improve the diagnostic sensitivity and the detection rate of lung cancer. (authors)