Diagnostic value of combined determination of serum tumor markers (NSE, CYFRA21-1, CEA and CA50) levels in patients with lung cancer

Objective: To study the diagnostic value of determination of serum levels of NSE, CYFRA21-1, CEA and CA50 in patients with lung cancer. Methods: Serum NSE (with IRMA), CYFRA21-1, CA50 (with RIA) and CEA (with CLIA) levels were measured singly or combinedly in 89 patients with lung cancer and 37 patients with various kinds of benign lung disorders. Results: The levels of serum NSE, CYFRA21-1, CEA and CA50 in patients with lung cancer were all significantly higher than the respective levels in patients with benign lung diseases (P<0.05). The sensitivity, and accuracy of combined determination of NSE, CYFRA21-1 and CEA was 87.6% and 87.3%, respectively,being higher (P<0.05) than that with any single determination. The specificity of combined determination (86.5%) was lower than that of CYFRA21-1 (91.9%). For various pathologic types of lung cancer,the diagnostic sensitivity with different markers varied greatly CEA determination was most sensitive for adenocarcinoma (73.9%), NSE was most sensitive for small cell lung carcinoma (75.0%). CYFRA21-1 was most sensitive with squamous cell carcinoma (80.6%). However, sensitivity of CA50 determination was poor for all kinds of lung cancer (20.5∼39.5% only). Conclusion: Determination of for serum levels of NSE, CYFRA21-1 and CEA is helpful clinical diagnosis of lung cancer,and combined determination can increase the sensitivity very much. (authors)