| Research Abstract |
We newly developed a less invasive bronchoscopic microsampling (BMS) probe to assess biochemical substances in epithelial lining fluid (ELF). In the present study, we applied the BMS probe in measuring tumor markers near the tumor to test the probe's clinical utility in the supplemental diagnosis of small peripheral lung cancer. We studied 12 patients with peripheral lung adenocarcinoma (mean tumor diameter. 20 mm, ranging from 8 to 28mm) and 6 healthy subjects. Final diagnosis was made by pathological examination tissue obtained either by tumor resection or lung biopsy. The BMS probe was inserted through a bronchoscope channel and the location of the BMS was further confirmed by chest X-ray. Then, ELF near the tumor was collected by the probe. Concentrations of 3 different tumor markers, CEA, CYFRA and SLX in ELF were measured. In the patients with adenocarcinoma, there were significant differences between the ELF concentration of tumor markers collected near the tumor area and that collected from the opposite lung (mean values : 176.0 vs 12.3 ng/ml for CYFRA, p<0.001 ; 27.4 vs 2.2 ng/mg, p<0.001 for CEA). Mean tumor marker values from the healthy subjects were 5.1, and 2.5, respectively. Our results suggest that tumor markers produced by a tumor diffuse to the surrounding area, and the BMS probe was able to detect the markers even if the probe did not hit the tumor directly. BMS probe assessment may supplement pathological diagnosis in patients with small peripheral lung cancer.
|
