OBJECTIVETo evaluate and compare the value of serum CK19-2G2 and Cyfra21-1 in diagnosis of lung cancer.

METHODSThe serum concentration of CK19-2G2 and Cyfra21-1 was detected in 104 patients with lung cancer, 71 with benign lung diseases and 105 healthy volunteers. The value of the two parameters in the diagnosis of lung cancer was evaluated with ROC curve analysis. The mean level of CK19-2G2 in the three groups was compared with that of Cyfra21-1 by Mann-Whitney U test, and the correlation between these two parameters was calculated using Pearson coefficient correlation test.

RESULTSThe mean serum CK19-2G2 concentration in the lung cancer group was 2.87 mU/ml, significantly higher than that in the group with benign lung diseases (1.02 mU/ml) and healthy volunteer group (0.01 mU/ml) (P = 0.000). The serum concentration of CK19-2G2 was positively correlated with that of Cyfra21-1, with a Pearson coefficient correlation of 0.543. Furthermore, the mean serum CK19-2G2 level in squamous cell carcinoma group (8.35 mU/ml) was significantly higher than that in the other pathologic groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCK19-2G2, with a higher specificity, may be a better tumor marker than CK19-2G2 in respect of specificity for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially for squamous lung carcinoma, and deserves further study.