Diagnostic value of α-enolase expression and serum α-enolase autoantibody levels in lung cancer

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic value of α-enolase (ENO1) and serum ENO1 autoantibody levels in lung cancer. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry staining and ELISA were performed to detect ENO1 expression in lung tissue and serum ENO1 autoantibody levels, respectively. RESULTS: The expression of ENO1 was higher in lung cancer tissues than in benign lung disease tissues (p < 0.001). The proportion of lung cancer samples expressing ENO1 was not significantly different among the various pathological classification groups. The proportion of samples expressing ENO1 was higher in lung cancer patients in stages I/II than in those in stages III/IV (ℳ(2) = 5.445; p = 0.018). The expression of ENO1 in lung cancer tissues was not associated with age, gender, or smoking history. Serum ENO1 antibody levels were significantly higher in the lung cancer group than in the benign lung disease and control groups (p < 0.001). The differences among the pathological classification groups were not statistically significant. Serum ENO1 antibody levels were also in lung cancer patients in stages I/II than in those in stages III/IV (p < 0.01). Serum ENO1 antibody levels were not associated with age, gender, or smoking history in lung cancer patients. The ROC curve representing the diagnosis of lung cancer based on ENO1 antibody levels had an area under the curve of 0.806. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that high levels of ENO1 are associated with the clinical stage of lung cancer and that ENO1 expression and its serum autoantibody levels show diagnostic value in lung cancer.