The prognostic influence of serum neuron specific enolase in small cell lung cancer.

An analysis of prognostic factors in small cell lung cancer has been made using presentation data from 86 of 101 consecutive patients referred to The Finsen Institute for chemotherapy. Prognosis was in univariate analysis significantly correlated with performance status (PS), disease extent, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), neuron specific enolase (NSE), alpha-1-acid glycoprotein and plasma sodium. Multivariate analysis, taking stage of disease into account, resulted in selection of PS and NSE as the most influential of the investigated variables. LDH was excluded as an independent prognosticator, but there was a strong correlation between the influence of LDH and NSE (coefficient: -0.38) as well as between their serum concentrations (coefficient: 0.72). LDH and NSE apparently have similar prognostic influence, and NSE seems superior to LDH. A firm conclusion should, however, await our investigation of a large series of patients.