Premium
Elevated alpha 1 ‐antitrypsin serum levels in lung cancer patients
Author(s) -
Harris Curtis C.,
Primack Aron,
Cohen Martin H.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197408)34:2<280::aid-cncr2820340210>3.0.co;2-4
Subject(s) - medicine , lung cancer , malignancy , cancer , gastroenterology , lung , respiratory disease , prospective cohort study , alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency , pathology
A deficiency of serum alpha 1 ‐antitrypsin has been associated with a predisposition to obstructive pulmonary disease. To determine if a similar association exists with lung cancer, serum alpha 1 ‐antitrypsin levels were measured in 73 patients with nonresectable lung cancer. Elevated alpha 1 ‐antitrypsin levels were found. Patients with primary cancer at other sites also had elevated levels. Thus, malignancy is one of several exogenous and endogenous factors that increase serum alpha 1 ‐antitrypsin. Prospective studies to determine the serum levels of alpha 1 ‐antitrypsin in patients with precanerous lesions of the respiratory tract are in progress, as are studies to determine if levels of alpha 1 ‐antitrypsin change with successful treatment of the malignancy.