[Sialyl Lewis X-i (SLX) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with lung cancer].

The measurement of serum SLX is thought to be a useful aid in the diagnosis of malignant diseases, particularly adenocarcinoma of the lung. In the present investigation, we measured and compared SLX values in BALF from affected and normal bronchi, obtained from 83 patients. They consisted of 64 males and 19 females, with mean age of 60 years, consisting of 8 normal controls, 19 cases of benign lung disease, and 56 cases of primary lung cancer. SLX value in BALF from normal bronchi was significantly higher in patients with lung cancer than in normal controls, but there was no significant difference in SLX value between lung cancer and benign lung disease. On the other hand, SLX value from affected bronchi was significantly higher in patients with lung cancer than in normal controls and patients with benign lung disease. The rate of elevated SLX in BALF from affected bronchi was significantly higher in patients with lung cancer than in those with benign lung disease. These results suggest that measurement of SLX levels in BALF from affected bronchi may be a useful method for differential diagnosis of primary lung cancer.