Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and macrophage-colony stimulating factor in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer

We have investigated the serum level of granulocyte-colony stimulating fact or (G-CSF) and macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) in non-small-ce ll lung cancer (NSCLC), in relation to the control group and commonly accep ted tumor markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin f ragment 19 (CYFRA 21-1). Additionally, we have defined the diagnostic sensi tivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value a nd receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve of G-CSF and M-CSF. Serum levels of cytokines were measured in 61 patients with NSCLC and in 20 heal thy subjects. G-CSF and M-CSF were determined using ELISA. CYFRA 21-1 was m easured by radioimmunoassay and CEA by microparticle enzyme immunoassay. Th ere were significant increases in the level of circulating G-CSF in the lun g cancer patients compared to the control group. Moreover, the diagnostic s ensitivity of G-CSF was higher (56%) than the sensitivity of CYFRA 21-1 (51 %), but lower than the CEA sensitivity (62%). The diagnostic specificity of G-CSF was higher (70%) than the M-CSF specificity (40%) and the G-CSF pred ictive values were higher in relation to the predictive values of M-CSF. Th ese results suggest a potential role of G-CSF as a tumor marker for NSCLC.