ELEVATED SERUM SIALYL-LEWIS X-I ANTIGEN LEVELS IN NONSMALL CELL LUNG-CANCER WITH LUNG METASTASIS

To evaluate the relationship between serum levels of sialyl Lewis X-i antigen and lung metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cance r (NSCLC), we measured the serum level of the antigen in 299 patients with untreated locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. Before treatment, serum levels of sialyl Lewis X-i antigen were significantly higher in patients with lung metastasis than in those without lung metastatis ( p = 0.0001). Of 201 patients without lung metastasis at the time of pr imary diagnosis, 121 patients died between July 1987 and December 1995 . Serum levels of sialyl Lewis X-i antigen in 21 patients who develope d lung metastasis during the period were significantly higher than tho se in 100 patients who did not develop lung metastasis (p = 0.0171). O ur results suggested that sialyl Lewis X-i antigen might be a good ind icator for the presence or development of lung metastasis, and it migh t provide clinical information about the management of patients with N SCLC.