Diagnostic Value of FTO Combined with CEA or CYFRA21-1 in Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer

OBJECTIVE: To explore the diagnostic value of FTO combined with CEA or CYFRA21-1 for nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to provide a theoretical basis for molecular diagnosis of NSCLC. METHODS: Totally, 60 patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated in our hospital between Feb. 2018 and Feb. 2019 were enrolled into the patient group (Pat group) and 50 healthy individuals with normal physical examination results in our hospital over the same time span into the control group (Con group). Serum of each participant was collected, and then qRT-PCR was adopted for quantification of serum FTO and the chemiluminescence method for quantification of serum CEA and CYFRA21-1. Additionally, corresponding ROC curves were drawn for diagnostic value analyses of FTO, CEA, and CYFRA21-1 in NSCLC and Cox regression analysis was performed for analysis of independent factors impacting the patients' 3-year prognosis. RESULTS: The Pat group presented notably higher FTO, CEA, and CYFRA21-1 levels than the Con group (all P < 0.05), and patients with a high FTO level faced notably higher probabilities of stage III + IV and lymph node metastasis (LNM) (both P < 0.05). Additionally, according to ROC curve-based analysis, with a high level in patients with NSCLC, FTO had high specificity and sensitivity in diagnosing NSCLC; joint detection of it with CEA or CYFRA21-1 demonstrated a higher sensitivity in NSCLC diagnosis and presented a higher specificity in diagnosing early NSCLC compared with detection of CEA or CYFRA21-1 alone. According to Cox regression analysis, clinical stage, LNM, and FTO were independent risk factors impacting the prognosis of patients with LC (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: FTO presents a high level in NSCLC cases, and joint detection of it with CEA or CYFRA21-1 delivered a higher specificity in diagnosing NSCLC in contrast to detection of CEA or CYFRA21-1 alone, so the joint detection is worth popularizing in clinical scenarios.