Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology 16:213-221 (1986)
© 1986 Foundation for Promotion of Cancer Research
research-article |
Biological and Clinical Implication of Neuron-Specific Enolase and Creatine Kinase BB in Small Cell Lung Cancer
1Department of Medicine Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya
5Departi of Clinical Laboratory Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya
3Department of chemotherapy Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya
2Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Developmental Research Aichi Prefectural Colons, Kasugai
4Department of Thoracic Surgery Nagoya University School of Medicine Nagoya
Reprint requests: Yutaka Ariyoshi, M.D., Department of Medicine, Aichi Cancer Center, 81–1159 Kanokoden, Tashiro-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464, Japan.
Received July 15, 1986; The specificity of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and creatine kinase BB (CK-BB) for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) was determined by biological and immunohistochemical procedures in lung cancer tissues and cultured cell lines. Average values of extractable NSE and CK-BB of SCLC tissues were significantly higher than those of non-SCLC and normal lung tissues. A large amount of NSE and CK-BB was demonstrated in SCLC cell lines.
Immunohistochemical examination showed positive staining for NSE and CK-BB in most cases of SCLC and in a few cases of non-SCLC. From these data NSE and CK-BB should be considered to be highly specific for SCLC.
In a clinical study serum values exceeding 10 ng/ml for NSE and 1.5 ng/ml for CK-BB were set as positive for the enzymes. Positive rates in SCLC were 71.4% for NSE and 65.3% for CK-BB, which were significantly higher than those in non-SCLC. All positive cases were in an advanced stage. Consecutive daily NSE determinations during induction chemotherapy showed transient elevation immediately after the initiation of drug administration (tumor lysis syndrome), followed by a decline to the normal range in responders. This phe nomenon seems to indicate tumor sensitivity to cytotoxic drugs. NSE positive non-SCLC was as sensitive to cytotoxic drugs as SCLC. These findings indicate that lung cancer with elevated serum NSE and CK-BB levels at diagnosis should be strongly suspected of being SCLC in the advanced stage.