A comparative study on inflammatory factors and immune functions of lung cancer and pulmonary ground-glass attenuation

C.-Y. Liu, W.-G. Xie, S. Wu, J.-W. Tian, J. Li

Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Southeast University, Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province, China. 1539608966@qq.com

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• Oncology

OBJECTIVE: To compare the inflammatory factors and immune functions of patients with lung cancer and pulmonary ground-glass attenuation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 108 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis treated in our hospital were selected and randomly divided into lung cancer group (Group A, n=32), diffuse ground-glass nodule group (Group B, n=35) and solitary ground-glass nodule group (Group C, n=41) according to the diagnosis results. Levels of inflammatory factors, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10), in serum were detected via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the T-lymphocyte subset levels (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+) in the immune system of patients in the three groups were detected using the flow cytometer; the levels of immunoglobulins, immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM), were detected via immunoturbidimetric assay.

RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10 in patients between Group A and Group B (p>0.05), but the levels in Group A and Group B were significantly higher than those in Group C (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the levels of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ in patients between Group A and Group B (p>0.05), but the levels in Group A and Group B were significantly lower than those in Group C (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the levels of IgG, IgA and IgM in patients between Group A and Group B (p>0.05), but the levels in Group A and Group B were significantly lower than those in Group C (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: There are lower inflammation and immune functions in patients with lung cancer and pulmonary ground-glass attenuation. Compared with those in patients with lung cancer and diffuse ground-glass nodules, the inflammatory degree in patients with solitary ground-glass nodules is lower and the immune functions are better. Detecting the inflammatory factors and immune functions of patients can also be used as a differential diagnosis means of lung cancer.

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