[Applications of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase in diagnosis of lung cancer].

OBJECTIVE

To develop a new biomarker and improve early diagnosis of lung cancer in clinic.

METHODS

Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity in peripheral lymphocytes was detected using spectrofluorometer in 51 healthy subjects, 30 patients with benign lung diseases, 93 patients with lung cancer (including 30 patients with lung adenocarcinoma, 30 with lung squamous carcinoma, 33 with small cell lung cancer, 28 of them were at I, II stage, 35 at III stage, 30 at IV stage), and the results were compared with carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA).

RESULTS

AHH activity in peripheral lymphocytes was (4.9 +/- 2.1) pmol.min-1 x 10(-6) cells in patients with lung cancer, (7.3 +/- 1.9) pmol.min-1 x 10(-6) cells in patients with lung squamous carcinoma, (1.1 +/- 0.7) and (1.2 +/- 0.6) pmol.min-1 x 10(-6) cells in healthy subjects and patients with benign lung diseases respectively. It is indicated that AHH activity in peripheral lymphocytes was significantly increased in patients with lung cancer, especially with lung squamous cancer. Of patients with lung cancer, AHH activity was (3.7 +/- 1.4) pmol.min-1 x 10(-6) cells in patient at stage I, II, (5.1 +/- 2.1), (7.1 +/- 1.8) pmol.min-1 x 10(-6) cells at stage III and stage IV, and AHH activity increased when patients deteriorated, vice versa. Diagnosis evaluation test indicated that AHH was over 80% in both sensitivity and specificity. AHH relative risk to lung cancer was 2.83.

CONCLUSIONS

AHH is a promising marker of lung cancer which is special for lung squamous carcinoma, it can be used in clinical diagnosis, mornitoring and prognosis estimating in patients with lung cancer.