Combined Serum IL-6 and CYFRA 21-1 as Potential Biomarkers for Radon-Associated Lung Cancer Risk: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Biomarker Discovery
• Oncology

Background:

• Radon exposure is a significant risk factor for lung cancer (LC), particularly in non-smokers.
• Early detection of LC in high-risk populations is crucial for improved patient outcomes.
• Residential radon exposure is a growing public health concern globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify serum biomarkers for early LC detection in individuals with high residential radon exposure.
• To evaluate the diagnostic performance of single and combined biomarkers.
• To assess the utility of biomarkers in differentiating LC patients from healthy controls with varying radon exposure levels.

Main Methods:

• Serum samples from 15 LC patients and 30 healthy controls (stratified by low/high radon exposure) were analyzed.
• Levels of CYFRA 21-1, CEA, IL-6, IL-8, TGF-alpha, and IDO-1 were measured using multiplex assay.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to assess diagnostic potential.

Main Results:

• Serum IL-6 and IL-8 were elevated in LC patients compared to healthy controls.
• IL-8 was significantly higher in LC patients versus the high-radon group; CYFRA 21-1 differed between low and high radon groups.
• Combined IL-6 and CYFRA 21-1 demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy (AUC, sensitivity, specificity) for LC detection in the high-radon exposure group.

Conclusions:

• This study is the first to investigate the combined use of IL-6 and CYFRA 21-1 for LC screening in individuals with high residential radon exposure.
• The combination of IL-6 and CYFRA 21-1 shows significant potential for improving early LC detection and diagnostic accuracy in this specific high-risk population.
• Further validation in larger cohorts is warranted to confirm the clinical utility of these biomarkers.