Epidermal Growth Factor in Exhaled Breath Condensate as Diagnostic Method for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

OBJECTIVE: Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in humans. Finding a highly sensitive and specific marker is very important. This study investigated the clinical significance of epidermal growth factor in exhaled breath condensate and serum of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. METHODS: From October 17, 2013, to June 5, 2017, exhaled breath condensate and blood samples from 155 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, 63 patients with benign pulmonary nodules, and 115 healthy controls were collected using a breath condenser. Each sample was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Epidermal growth factor level in the exhaled breath condensate from the non-small cell lung cancer group (197.86 ± 60.67 pg/mL) was higher than that in the healthy group (124.75 ± 36.09 pg/mL), P < .05. Epidermal growth factor level in the exhaled breath condensate of the smoking group (208.85 ± 40.94 pg/mL) was higher than that of the nonsmoking group (185.52 ± 36.88 pg/mL), P < .05. Epidermal growth factor level in the exhaled breath condensate in phases III and IV of non-small cell lung cancer group (212.17 ± 35.41 pg/mL) was higher than that in phases I and II (173.91 ± 38.08 pg/mL), P < .05. Epidermal growth factor level in the exhaled breath condensate of the death group (241.05 ± 27.19 pg/mL) was higher than that of the survival group (188.75 ± 37.07 pg/mL), P < .05. The epidermal growth factor exhaled breath condensate levels were positively correlated with the serum epidermal growth factor levels with a correlation coefficient of 0.495 (P < .05). The sensitivity and specificity of epidermal growth factor exhaled breath condensate test were 80.0% and 89.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The detection of epidermal growth factor level in exhaled breath condensate exhibits is important in the diagnosis, disease monitoring, and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer.