Objective: To evaluate the prognostic value of NSE detection in small cell lung cancer.
Methods: 144 unresectable small cell lung cancer patients were eligible in the retrospective study. NSE was analyzed before chemotherapy and 21 days after chemotherapy using ELISA method.
Results: For D1-NSE, 98 (68.1%) were NSE positive and 46(31.9%) were NSE negative; for D21-NSE, 57(39.6%) were NSE positive and 87 (60.4%) were NSE negative. In univariate analysis, both D1-NSE and D21-NSE have prognostic significance. But in multivariate analysis only D21-NSE is an independent prognostic factor.
Conclusion: D21-NSE in small cell lung cancer is an independent prognostic factor and may be proposed for use in the clinic and research.