Evaluation of VEGF-C and Tumor Markers in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid for Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Abstract

A total of 87 patients were enrolled and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were obtained from all subjects. A significant difference was found in BALF VEGF-C level between patients with squamous cell carcinoma and benign diseases (P = 0.043). In addition, the concentration of NSE in BALF form the malignant group was significantly higher compared with that of the benign groups (P = 0.018). However, no statistical difference was observed in BALF CEA (P = 0.375) or CYFRA21-1 (P = 0.838) between lung cancer patients and nonmalignant controls. With a cut-off value of 2.06 ng/ml, NSE had a sensitivity of 72.9%, a specificity of 69.2%, respectively, in predicting the malignant nature of pulmonary mass. Our study observed that the level of VEGF-C was increased in BALF of patients with squamous cell carcinoma. Moreover, we found that NSE was significantly higher in BALF of lung cancer patients than in benign diseases.

TGF-β1, IL-6 and TNF-α in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid: Useful Markers for Lung Cancer?

“…The utility of cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for differential diagnosis of lung cancer has been described in several studies6789101112. In our previous reports, we also observed that the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were significantly higher in BALF of lung cancer patients than in that of patients with benign diseases1314. Recently, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor nectosis factor (TNF)-α were suggested in published studies as possible diagnostic biomarkers of lung cancer due to their higher concentrations in serum of lung cancer patients151617.…”

Differential diagnosis of lung cancer, its metastasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease based on serum Vegf, Il-8 and MMP-9

“…circulating DNA in peripheral blood, circulating tumor-derived exosome, micro-RNAs, comparative protein profiling) in lung cancer diagnosis has been discussed and reviewed14. Recently, evaluation of VEGF-C and other tumor markers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid showed ability of neuron-specific enolase for lung cancer diagnosis15. However, serum cytokine based markers to differentially diagnose lung cancer, its metastasis and COPD patients is not known to the best of our knowledge.…”

The diagnostic value of tumor markers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid for the peripheral pulmonary carcinoma

“…In the views of some scholars , to obtain specimens for detection of tumor markers from the location of the tumor could be better than the blood specimens. If we detected the substance which were secreted into the pulmonary alveoli by cancer cell, some diagnostic value of peripheral lung cancer could be found.…”