High Serum Soluble CD27 Level Correlates with Poor Performance Status and Reduced Survival in Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Soluble CD27 (sCD27) is associated with somatic immune reaction status. Moreover, sCD27 level is associated with the prognosis of patients with prostate cancer who receive immunotherapy. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we assessed sCD27 levels in patients with advanced lung cancer and determined their correlation with survival and clinicopathologic parameters. METHODS: Serum samples were collected from patients with advanced lung cancer, and sCD27 was quantified via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The association between sCD27 levels and clinicopathologic status and patient survival was retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Of 96 patients analyzed, 73 had adenocarcinoma, 7 had squamous cell carcinoma, and 15 had small cell carcinoma. Median serum sCD27 level was 36.54 U/mL (range, undetectable-104.47); this is lower than that previously reported for patients with lung cancer, including those with localized stages. Patients with squamous cell carcinoma had higher sCD27 levels (p = 0.010). Age, performance status, and serum albumin levels were significantly correlated with serum sCD27 level. Patients with high serum sCD27 levels (≥32.52 U/mL; n = 58) had poorer prognosis than those with low serum sCD27 levels (<32.52 U/mL, n = 38; median survival, 7.3 vs. 21.8 months, respectively, p< 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: High sCD27 level is associated with poor prognosis and may reflect the immune-exhausted status of patients with advanced lung cancer.