Role of a serum‐based biomarker panel in the early diagnosis of lung cancer for a cohort of high‐risk patients

BACKGROUND This study applied a combined cancer biomarker panel to clinically identify small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a high‐risk population. METHODS The serum levels of 4 biomarkers (progastrin‐releasing peptide [ProGRP], carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA], squamous cell carcinoma antigen [SCC], and cytokeratin 19 fragment [CYFRA21‐1]) were determined in 153 patients with a high risk of lung cancer (12 with a new diagnosis of SCLC, 52 with NSCLC, and 89 without lung cancer). Information about diagnosis delays was collected through interviews of all participants. RESULTS Significantly higher serum levels of ProGRP (P