Serum CYFRA 21-1 and neuron specific enolase as markers of lung cancer

The clinical value of tumor markers CYFRA 21-1 (CYFRA) and neuron specific enolase (NSE) were evaluated in 55 patients with lung cancer. Increased CYFRA (cutoff: 3.3 ng/ml) and NSE (cutoff: 12.5 ng/ml) concentrations were found in all histologic cell types and were pretherapeutically elevated respectively in 74% and 67% of patients with lung cancer. There was significant difference between mean values of CYFRA and NSE in SCLC and squamous cell lung carcinoma patients. Diagnostic sensitivity of CYFRA for NSCLC was 77.2% and NSE For SCLC was 76%. CYFRA correlated with the extent of squamous cell carcinoma and NSCLC. There was a tendency towards higher NSE in extensive SCLC then in limited disease. Serum CYFRA and NSE prove to be sensitive tumor markers in diagnosis and evaluation of extent of lung carcinomas.