Diagnostic value of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum tumor markers for lung cancer

Objective: To analyze the changes of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum tumor markers in lung cancer. Materials and Methods: Fifty patients with lung cancer (study group) and 50 cases with benign lung lesions (control group) were selected from May, 2010 to May, 2013. The observation group included squamous cell carcinoma subgroup (n = 25), adenocarcinoma subgroup (n = 19), and small cell undifferentiated carcinoma subgroup (n = 6). The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1) concentration were compared; and the comparisons among subgroups were also performed. Results: Three kinds of tumor markers in BALF and serum of the observation group were higher than that of the control group. NSE concentration of small.cell lung cancer was the highest, CYFRA21.1 concentration was highest in the squamous cell carcinoma, and CEA concentration was highest in the adenocarcinoma group; the former increased more significantly. Conclusion: BALF and serum NSE, CEA, and CYFRA21.1 elevated in lung cancer, which had prompt value for pathology, especially significant for BALF.