Neuron specific enolase, a distinct isomer of the glycolytic enzyme enolase, is pre-sent not only in the central nervous system but also in all neuroendocrine or amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation cells. Neuron specific enolase has also been shown to be present in considerable quantity in small cell lung cancer.
To determine the value of serum neuron specific enolase as a tumor marker for diagnosing and monitoring therapeutic response in patients with small cell lung cancer, serum neuron specific enolase was measured by radio-immunoassay in 20 normal controls, 15 patients with non-small cell lung cancer and 14 patients with small cell lung cancer.
The mean values were 5.12 2.97ng/ml in the control group, 6.60 3.33 ng/ml in . patients with non-small cell lung cancer, and 34.30 39.88ng/ml in patients with small cell lung cancer. Patients with small cell lung cancer had a significantly higher mean value than control group and patients with non-small cell lung cancer (P<0.05, P<0.05).
Patients with extended stage of small cell lung cancer had significantly higher mean value (45.1 42.97ng/mO than patients with limited stage of small cell lung cancer (7.4 1.78ng/ml).
Serial measurements in 6 patients receiving combination chemotherapy showed a correlation in 4 patients between serum neuron specific enolase and therapeutic response.
This´tudy indicated that serum neuron specific enolase might be a useful marker for staging, but further investigation is required for monitering therapeutic response in patients with small cell lung cancer.
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