Original scientific paper
Determining the Cut-Off Value of Pro-Gastrin Releasing Peptide (ProGRP) in Lung Cancer According to Population Characteristics
Gordana Bubanović
Radomir Pavićević
Ana Franjević
Abstract
The standardisation process consisted of determining tumour marker levels in all relevant population groups which
are connected with the biology of the marker in normal and tumourous cells. This makes clinical application possible.
ProGRP serum levels were measured in 273 healthy subjects, 176 patients with benign diseases and tumours, 200 with
small cell lung cancer (SCLC), 294 with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 21 with carcinoid tumour, 93 with undifferentiated
lung cancer, 35 with mixed SCLC-NSCLC, and 189 with other malignancies. ProGRP levels in patients with
SCLC and SCLC-NSCLC were significantly higher than in all the other groups (p = 5.4 ´ 10–3). Moreover, in SCLC patients
ProGRP levels significantly correlate with the extent of the disease and the patients’ smoking habit. The cut-off
level of ProGRP for SCLC is 65.89 pg/mL in the Croatian population. It is based on 96.8% specificity in benign diseases
which cause problems in differential diagnosis. The sensitivity of ProGRP was 85% at the time of SCLC diagnosis.
Keywords
pro-gastrin releasing peptide (ProGRP); small cell lung cancer; tumour marker; lung cancer
Hrčak ID:
34299
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2008.
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