Key result
Marked serum CK-BB elevation flags occult small cell lung cancer despite negative chest X-rays.
Why the study?
Creatine kinase BB isoenzyme elevation in patients with widespread small cell lung cancer is probably more common than currently recognized and may aid diagnosis.
Case Report (n=4)
CK-BB elevation may prompt evaluation for occult extensive SCLC; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation before clinical adoption.
Four patients with metastatic small cell carcinoma of the lung who had initial chest x-rays that did not reveal the cancer showed striking elevations of serum creatine kinase BB isoenzyme, which suggested the diagnosis and directed the subsequent evaluation. Creatine kinase BB isoenzyme elevation with widespread small cell carcinoma of the lung is probably more common than currently recognized, and is a useful diagnostic indicator for extensive stage small cell lung cancer, even in the absence of central nervous system metastases.
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Ronald D. Nielsen (1985) conducted a case report in Metastatic small cell carcinoma of the lung (n=4). Serum creatine kinase BB isoenzyme elevation was evaluated on Diagnosis of occult small cell lung cancer. Striking elevations of serum creatine kinase BB isoenzyme suggested the diagnosis of occult small cell lung cancer in four patients with initially negative chest x-rays.
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