Clinical value of combined determination of serum CEA, NSE and CYFRA21-1 levels in the assessment of treatment efficacy and prognosis in patients with advanced lung cancer

Objective: To investigate the value of combined determination of serum CEA, NSE and CYFRA21-1 levels in the assessment of treatment efficacy and prognosis in patients with advanced lung cancer. Methods: The serum levels of CEA, NSE and CYFRA21-1 were measured with radio-immunoassay in 68 patients with advanced lung cancer before and after 2 cycles of firstline chemotherapy, as well as in 80 patients with benign lung disease as controls. Treatment efficacy was assessed based upon radiologic objective response. Results: The concentrations and positive rates of serum CEA, NSE and CYFRA21-1 in lung cancer patients were significantly higher than those in patients with benign lung disease. After chemotherapy, the serum levels of the markers were decreased significantly in the PR patients, but increased or not changed in the PD or NC patients. The survival period of patients with initial high levels of CEA and CYFRA21-1 were significantly shorter than that of patients with initial low levels (P > 0.01, P > 0.001). However, the initial NSE levels were not of prognostic significance (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Combined detection of serum CEA, NSE, CYFRA21-1 levels can be useful for prediction of therapeutic efficacy and prognosis in patients with advanced lung cancer. (authors)