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Neuron‐specific enolase and thymidine kinase as an aid to the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of small cell lung cancer
Author(s) -
Fischbach W.,
SchwarzWallrauch C.,
Jany B.
Publication year - 1989
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(19890315)63:6<1143::aid-cncr2820630617>3.0.co;2-#
Subject(s) - enolase , medicine , lung cancer , cell , lung , cancer research , pathology , biochemistry , immunohistochemistry , biology
The serum levels of neuron specific enolase (s‐NSE) and thymidine kinase (s‐TK) were studied in detail in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) to evaluate as to whether their combined use may aid to diagnosis and follow‐up of this particular tumor. Only s‐NSE could differentiate between SCLC and non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or benign pulmonary diseases (BPD) to some extent, pathologic serum concentrations occurring in 81%, 17%, and 0%, respectively. The comparable figures for s‐TK were 62%, 24%, and 28%, respectively. Serum NSE decreased and increased parallelling tumor regression and progression, respectively, except when brain metastases were present. Alterations of s‐TK, in contrast, did not usually mirror the course of disease. During initial chemotherapy (CT) a transitory increase of serum levels was observed for both NSE and TK. Monitoring, based on daily blood samples, showed comparable peaks only for s‐TK during the following CT cycles, whereas s‐NSE was within the normal range even when tumor mass was still present. Those subsequent s‐TK peaks under CT may be due to tumor cell lysis as a result of CT indicating the efficacy of treatment by this way. Rapidly proliferating tissues such as bone marrow or bowel mucosa, however, have also to be considered as possible sources of s‐TK.