| The changes of serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity in lung cancer patients. |
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Ki Ho Jeong, Hyung Seok Choi, Chul Gyu Yoo, Kye Young Lee, Young Whan Kim, Sung Koo Han, Young Soo Shim, Keun Youl Kim, Yong Chol Han |
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Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea |
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| Abstract |
Background
Angiotensin converting enzyme is a glycoprotein peptidyldipeptide hydrolase which cleaves the c-terminal dipeptides of several oligopeptides. It is a menbrane-bound protein mainly synthesized by the endothelial cells. Since the lung has the largest capillary bed of any organ in the body, it is here that ACE acts on circulating substrates like angiotensin 1 and bradykinin. It is well known that ACE correlates with di sease activity in sarcoidosis and also there are reports that changes in serum ACE activity are found in many acute and chronic lung diseases. So we planned this study to see if serum ACE activity can act as a prognostic factor in lung cancer Methods: Forty-one newly diagnosed lung cancer patients were included in the study group. There were 19 patients with squamous cell lung cancer, 13 with adenocarcinoma, and 9 with small cell carcinoma. Patients were excluded from the study if they had high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease, renal disease, or other lung disease. Serum ACE activity was analyzed according to cell type, staging, mode of treatment, and clinical response to treatment.
Results
1) There was no difference in serum ACE activity between lung cancer patients and the control group. Also no difference in serum ACE activity was found according to cancer cell type or staging.
2) In patients who underwent curative resection of lung cancer, serum ACE activity was decreased significantly after the operation.
3) In patients who were diagnosed as non-small cell lung cancer and were treated with 4 cycles of anti-cancer chemotherapy without clinical improvement, changes in serum ACE activity were not seen after the treatment.
4) In patients diagnosed as small cell lung cancer treated with 4 cycles of anti-cancer chemotherapy with clinical improvement, changes in serum ACE activity were also not observed.
Conclusion
Serum ACE activity was decreased after lung resection but had no relation to cell type, staging, or clinical response to treatment in lung cancer patients. Therefore, serum ACE activity is not suitable in predicting clinical outcome of lung cancer patients. |
| Key Words:
ACE, Lung cancer, Lung resection, Anti-cancer chemotherapy |
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