The prognostic value of both neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and Cyfra21-1 in small cell lung cancer.

Abstract

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to verify the prognostic significance of multiple tumour markers in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined seven tumour markers [carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), cancer antigen 125 (CA125), cytokeratin 19 fragment (Cyfra21-1) and ProGastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP)] in 57 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that NSE and Cyfra21-1 were independent negative prognostic factors along with gender, therapy and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Multivariate analysis showed that both NSE and Cyfra21-1 retained their significance as prognostic factors along with therapy and the respective hazard ratios were 3.918 (p=0.0122) and 2.617 (p=0.0318) among the seven tumour markers. The group with both NSE and Cyfra21-1 positive had a worse prognosis than the only NSE-positive group, with the respective hazard ratios being 10.245 (p=0.0004) and 3.913 (p=0.0123). CONCLUSION: The group with both of the markers NSE and Cyfra21-1 positive had a worse prognosis than the only NSE-positive group.