Diagnostic Utility of Adenosine Deaminase in Serum and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid for Screening Lung Cancer in Western Iran

Summary Background: This study aimed to determine adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity as a possible screening tool in lung cancer patients. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 30 subjects with positive pathological tests and 62 patients with negative pathological tests as a control group. The enzymatic activity of total ADA and its isoenzymes was determined. Results: tADA and ADA2 isoenzyme activity was significantly higher in cancerous patients compared to benign controls in serum and BAL fluid. Using a cut-off level of respectively 35.22 U/L and 31.80 U/L for BAL total ADA and ADA2, sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 81% for total ADA and 95% and 98% for ADA2. Conclusions: Adenosine deaminase may play important roles in the pathophysiology of lung cancer and because of its might be considered as a useful screening tool among the other markers in lung cancer diagnosis.