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Serum alpha 1 ‐antitrypsin in patients with lung cancer or abnormal sputum cytology
Author(s) -
Harris Curtis C.,
Cohen Martin H.,
Connor Robert,
Primack Aron,
Saccomanno Geno,
Talamo Richard C.
Publication year - 1976
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(197610)38:4<1655::aid-cncr2820380435>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - lung cancer , medicine , sputum , cytology , gastroenterology , lung , cancer , pathology , carcinogen , respiratory disease , tuberculosis , biology , genetics
Serum alpha 1 ‐antitrypsin Pi types and trypsin inhibitory capacity (TIC) were measured in 72 patients with lung cancer and in 196 patients with abnormal sputum cytology but no clinical evidence of lung cancer to determine if a genetic deficiency of alpha 1 ‐antitrypsin (AAT) predisposes to lung cancer. The distributions of Pi types in these two groups of patients and healthy adults are similar. Serum TIC and AAT concentrations are elevated in lung cancer patients. However, patients with abnormal sputum cytology and no clinical lung cancer have normal levels of serum TIC and AAT. A genetic deficiency of AAT probably does not produce a state of increased susceptibility to the carcinogenic effects of respiratory carcinogens such as tobacco smoke.