For Which Cancer Types can Neuron-Specific Enolase be Clinically Helpful in Turkish Patients?

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levelsin patients with prostate cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, lung cancer and peripheral nerve tumors. Materials and
Methods: NSE levels were determined by ELISA in the sera of 100 prostate cancer, 47 Hodgkin lymphoma, 35lung cancer and 35 peripheral nerve tumor patients and also in 132 healthy controls.
Results: The median levelsof serum NSE were elevated in patients with lung cancer (p=0.018) and peripheral nerve tumors (p=0.008).NSE levels in prostate cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma patients were higher than the controls but there was nostatistically significant difference (p>0.05).
Conclusions: We conclude that NSE may be applied in routine togain insight about the clinical statuses of various cancer patients, but more studies are needed to determine theorgan specificity.