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. 2004 Nov-Dec;24(6):4051-7.

Elevated serum beta-defensins concentrations in patients with lung cancer

Yasuji Arimura  1 , Jun-ichi Ashitani, Shigehisa Yanagi, Masatoshi Tokojima, Koh Abe, Hiroshi Mukae, Masamitsu Nakazato
Affiliations
  • PMID: 15736451
Free article

Elevated serum beta-defensins concentrations in patients with lung cancer

Yasuji Arimura et al. Anticancer Res. 2004 Nov-Dec.
Free article

Abstract

Background: Beta-defensins (HBDs) are expressed in lung epithelial cells and act as antimicrobial agents. Most lung cancers that originate from pulmonary epithelial cells may produce HBDs.

Materials and methods: We measured serum HBD-1 and HBD-2 levels in healthy subjects (HS), patients with lung cancer and patients with pneumonia by radioimmunoassay.

Results: Serum HBD-1 levels were higher in patients with lung cancer than HS and patients with pneumonia. Serum HBD-2 levels were higher in patients with lung cancer than HS. When cut-off values for positive HBD-1 were set at mean + 2SD of HS, the sensitivity and specificity of HBD-1 for the whole group of patients with lung cancer were 76.4 and 94.0%, respectively, and the proportion of patients with HBD-1-positive lung cancer and clinical stage I was 69.2%.

Conclusion: Serum HBDs levels were high in patients with lung cancer and the serum HBD-1 level could be used as an auxiliary diagnostic tool for lung cancer.

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