Soluble selectin levels in patients with lung cancer

• Published in: The International journal of biological markers Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 56 - 62
• Main Authors: ROSELLI, M, MINEO, T. C, MARTINI, F, MARIOTTI, S, AMBROGI, V, SPILA, A, D'ALLESSANDRO, R, BASILI, S, GUADAGNI, F, FERRONI, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Milano Wichtig 2002
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - metabolism; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - metabolism; E-Selectin - biosynthesis; Humans; Immunoassay; Lung Neoplasms - diagnosis; Lung Neoplasms - metabolism; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Metastasis; P-Selectin - biosynthesis; Pneumology; Tumors of the respiratory system and mediastinum; Adenocarcinoma; Human; Lung disease; Selectin; Squamous cell carcinoma; Biochemical analysis; Prognosis; Respiratory disease; E Selectin; Cell adhesion molecule; Malignant tumor; Soluble form; Bronchopulmonary; Immunological method; P Selectin; Clinical stage; Bronchus disease; Serum; Diagnosis; Quantitative analysis
• ISSN: 0393-6155; 1724-6008
• DOI: 10.1177/172460080201700107

Increased expression of selectins has been found on endothelial cells of venules and capillaries in the tumor stroma of non-small cell lung cancer, suggesting their functional role in the process of chemotaxis for tumor cells. The present study was aimed at analyzing the role of both soluble (s)P-selectin and sE-selectin levels in association with clinico-pathological variables in 116 patients with lung cancer, 38 patients with benign diseases and 59 healthy donors. The results obtained showed that sP-selectin and sE-selectin levels were higher in patients with lung cancer compared to normal donors (p<0.02 and p<0.005, respectively). No differences were observed among patients with various benign diseases for both selectins. Increased levels of sP-selectin and sE-selectin were significantly associated with squamous lung cancer at late stages (p<0.05), but not adenocarcinoma. Both sP- and sE-selectin were independently related to the stage of squamous lung cancer by stepwise regression analysis (p<0.02 and p<0.03, respectively), while only sE-selectin was independently related to the presence of distant metastasis in the same histotype (p<0.02). These results suggest that measurement of plasma soluble selectins might represent a useful laboratory parameter in the management of patients with squamous lung cancer.