Optimal cutoff points of CYFRA21-1 for survival prediction in non-small cell lung cancer patients based on running statistical analysis.

PURPOSE

To determine pretreatment serum CYFRA21-1 levels as indicators of poor prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

1,202 consecutive patients, diagnosed pathologically with NSCLC from January 1999 to December 2009, were entered in this study. To obtain optimal cutoff points of CYFRA21-1 for these endpoints, a running log-rank statistical method was applied.

RESULTS

The cutoff level for the maximum log-rank statistical value of one-year survival in patients with NSCLC was 18.0 ng/ml. These results could be applied to patients with squamous cell carcinoma. In multivariate analysis, elevated (>18.0 ng/ml) levels of CYFRA21-1 was confirmed as being an unfavourable prognostic factor.

CONCLUSION

CYFRA21-1 assay has a clinical significance for identifying patients with poor prognosis among those with early and advanced NSCLC. Elevated serum CYFRA21-1 levels at the time of diagnosis may be a useful noninvasive marker for identifying the risk of early death from NSCLC.