Neuron-Specific Enolase Is an Independent Prognostic Factor in Resected Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients with Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Gene Rearrangements

BACKGROUND: An extensive body of research reveals the clinical value of serum tumor markers in lung cancer patients, including carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), cytokeratin-19 fragments (Cyfra21-1), and neuron-specific enolase (NSE), but little is known about the clinical properties of these serum tumor markers in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive lung cancer patients. MATREIAL/METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 54 patients harboring ALK rearrangements and 520 patients without ALK rearrangements, and all these patients were treated exclusively by surgery between 2011 and 2016. RESULTS: NSE level (P=0.007 for OS) was identified as an independent prognostic factor among patients with resected ALK-positive adenocarcinoma of the lung. CONCLUSIONS: A high level of NSE is associated with worse outcome among resected lung adenocarcinoma patients harboring ALK rearrangements.