Diagnostic value of serum dihydrodiol dehydrogenase 2 levels in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer

Objectives: Dihydrodiol dehydrogenase 2 (DDH2) plays an important role in pathogenesis of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to evaluate the value of serum DDH2 levels in NSCLC patients. Methods: Serum samples were obtained from 863 NSCLC patients and 439 healthy controls. The samples were randomly divided into a training set and a test set. Serum DDH2 levels were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The levels of DDH2 in NSCLC patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (P < 0.001). The diagnostic use of DDH2 in lung adenocarcinoma was significantly greater than that of carcinoembryonic antigen, cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1), and carbohydrate antigen 125 (P < 0.001). Combining DDH2 with carcinoembryonic antigen, CYFRA21-1, and carbohydrate antigen 125 was more effective for lung adenocarcinoma diagnosis than DDH2 alone. In addition, the levels of DDH2 could contribute to the diagnosis of lung squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusions: The measurement of serum DDH2 is a valuable diagnostic marker for NSCLC patients.