Background: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag), and CYFRA 21-1 are the most useful markers for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is a tumor maker of choice for SCLC. The determination of NSE in NSCLC could allow selection of patients with neuroendocrine features. NSCLC patients whose tumors have neuroendocrine properties may be more responsive to chemotherapy; however, these tumors have been reported to be more aggressive. Tumor markers are not suitable for diagnosis; their principal applications are in monitoring of therapy and prognosis. Methods: Tumor markers were measured in 200 untreated patients with squamous cell lung cancer (SQC) and a reference group (n = 220; 124 healthy persons and 96 patients with nonmalignant lung disease). CEA and SCC-Ag were measured by microparticle enzyme immunoassays on Abbott AxSYM and IMx analyzers. CYFRA 21-1 and NSE were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassays on the Roche Elecsys 2010. Results: CEA, SCC-Ag, CYFRA 21-1, and NSE were increased above the cutoffs in 26%, 32%, 67%, and 28% of tested patients, respectively. The area under the ROC curve for CYFRA 21-1 was higher than those for CEA, SCC-Ag, and NSE (SQC vs controls). CYFRA 21-1 and CEA were significantly higher in advanced SQC than in early stages of disease (P <0.0001 and P <0.0004, respectively). In multivariate analysis of survival, CYFRA 21-1 was an independent but nonspecific prognostic factor in the operable group of SQC patients, whereas NSE was an independent prognostic factor in the advanced stages of disease. Conclusion: CYFRA 21-1 is an independent prognostic factor in earlier stages and NSE in the advanced stages of SQC.

Objectives: Cytokines are potential new serum markers, especially desirable for malignancies with poor prognosis like non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Cytokines, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8, soluble TNF (sTNF) RI, sTNF RII, soluble IL-2 receptor-α, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), IL-10, vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and macrophage (M-CSF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, as well as tumor markers – carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) and CYFRA 21.1 – were assessed in the sera of 103 untreated NSCLC patients, and these cytokines and tumor markers were refered to clinical parameters of the disease and to the overall survival of patients evaluated during a 6-year follow-up. Results: Most of the factors analyzed were found to be elevated in the sera of NSCLC patients, and increases in IL-6, IL-8 and sTNF RI were noted in the greatest proportion of stage I patients. Most cytokine/cytokine receptor levels revealed higher sensitivity than the standard tumor markers; IL-6 and IL-1ra levels were significantly different in patients with squamous cell versus adenocarcinoma; IL-6 and IL-10 were related to the tumor size, while IL-6 and M-CSF levels significantly increased with disease progression. A significant prognostic value of pretreatment serum M-CSF and CEA levels in NSCLC patients has been shown, but only M-CSF proved to be an independent prognostic factor. Conclusions: Increased pretreatment serum M-CSF level is a significant independent predictor of poor survival in patients with NSCLC.

Lung cancer belongs to malignant tumors that possess the highest rates of morbidity and mortality in the world. A number of morphological, biological and clinical features justify the distinction of small-cell carcinoma with respect to the other histological types of lung cancer. The predominant neuroendocrine phenotype is critical for the selection of biomarkers used in diagnostics, monitoring and evaluation of treatment response; early onset relapses in patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and the evaluation of their prognosis. Although for a long time the neuron-specific enolase (NSE) was considered to be the marker of choice for this tumor, it is now increasingly important to pay attention to concentrations of pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP). The results of this marker have been implicated in the differential diagnosis of non-small lung cancer and SCLC, chemotherapy and radiotherapy monitoring as well as evaluation of treatment response. The subject of this series of studies is to determine the usefulness of ProGRP in the evaluation of patients’ prognosis and its predictive value. The current aim for the optimization of the effectiveness of biochemical diagnostics of SCLC is recommended by complementary ProGRP and NSE studies. The present work is a summary of the latest reports regarding diagnostic utility of these markers in SCLC.

PCI significantly decreases the incidence of brain metastases and delays their development in patients with LS SCLC. "Early" PCI is more effective than PCI applied after combined therapy.

Infrared spectra of the ethanol-water and methanol-water mixtures in the mole fraction range of 0.1 to 0.9 were recorded in the attenuated reflection (ATR) mode. Traditionally, the hydrogen bonding of water with other molecules has been studied by investigation of the OH stretching band frequencies and intensities of water. However, in the case of alcoholwater mixtures, this procedure presents a problem due to the complete overlap of the hydroxyl absorptions from the alcohol and water. In the present study, we have adopted an alternative approach of understanding the ethanol-water and methanol-water hydrogen bonds through the analysis of the C-O stretching band. The intrinsic high intensity of the C-O band and nearly complete absence of its overlap with the water bands make it a good candidate for the study of hydrogen bonding interactions in alcoholwater mixtures. The integrated areas of the C-O stretching band versus mole fractions were plotted for both mixtures. In the case of methanol-water mixtures, the C-O stretching band area plot was linear, whereas such plot for the ethanol-water mixtures had two distinct slopes that switched at the 0.5 mole fraction. The C-O band plot areas were used to explain the molecular associations in the mixtures studied.