elastin and Carcinoma--Small-Cell

Elastin metabolism parameters (elastin-derived peptides and elastase-like activity) were determined in sera of patients with lung cancer and in healthy controls. The concentration of elastin-derived peptides was statistically significantly elevated in the lung cancer group. There was no statistically significant difference in the serum elastase-like activity between the groups studied. These data seem to indicate an enhanced metabolism of elastin in patients with lung cancer.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Carcinoma, Small Cell; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Elastin; Female; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Pancreatic Elastase; Peptide Fragments

The aim of this study was to investigate anti-elastin antibodies of the IgG and IgM types in sera of patients suffering from lung cancer, using the DOT immunobinding assay. We studied 96 pathological and 40 control sera. Anti-elastin antibodies were found to be present in 45% of patients with small cell lung cancer, 19% of subjects with adenocarcinoma and not-identified lung tumor and 15% of patients with squamous cell lung cancer. They circulated in 5% of control persons only. The highest values of their titers were observed in the advanced stages of disease. In 55% of anti-elastin antibody positive small cell lung cancer patients, antibodies were of the IgM type, suggesting the initial step of the autoimmunization to elastin.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Antibodies, Neoplasm; Carcinoma, Small Cell; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Elastin; Female; Humans; Immunoblotting; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin M; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged