The level of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid prostaglandine E2; is it diagnostic of bronchogenic carcinoma?

BackgroundLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer. It causes about 90% of lung cancers (14).ObjectiveEvaluation of bronchoalveolar lavage level of PGE2 in patients with primary bronchogenic carcinoma.Subjects and methodsThe study was conducted on forty subjects; including twenty patients with bronchogenic carcinoma, ten patients with non-malignant lesions, and ten healthy control subjects. All subjects were submitted to fiberoptic bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage was done and examined for prostaglandin E2.ResultsThe PGE2 level was significantly higher in BALF of group III (malignant group) compared to group I & II, with no significant difference between group I and group II. The cut- off value of PGE2 was 45.63 pg/ml with minimal overlap between malignant and benign lesions.ConclusionsBronchoalveolar lavage level of PGE2 was significantly increased in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma.