Lactate dehydrogenase and serum tumor markers for predicting metastatic status in geriatric patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND

No tumor biomarker (TM) is available for de novo metastatic lung adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin-19 fragments (CYFRA21-1), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9, CA125, tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA), tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) to predict de novo metastatic lung adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of geriatric (⩾ 60 years of age) patients with lung cancer diagnosed at Shanxi Cancer Hospital from 02/2012 to 12/2017. CEA, CYFRA21-1, CA199, NSE, CA125, TPA, and TPS were detected by ELISA and LDH was detected by LDH kit. Their predictive value was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

The positive rates of LDH and TMs were higher in the metastatic group (all P< 0.05). The best single TMs were CYFRA21-1 (70.5% sensitivity) and CA199 (92.0% specificity). When using any two, the best were CYFRA21-1+TPA (77.1% sensitivity) and CA199+TPA or NSE (both 84.1% specificity). High LDH and CA125 statuses were each independently associated with brain, bone, liver, and lung metastases (all P< 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Abnormal level of LDH and TMs, alone or in combination, had predictive value for metastasis in geriatric patients with lung adenocarcinoma; these indicators were also associated with the metastatic site.