Purpose: To determine whether detecting surfactant protein-A (SP-A) gene transcript in the cells from pleural effusion is useful for the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma.
Patients and methods: We performed reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of SP-A gene transcript in the cells of pleural effusion from 42 consecutive patients with pleural effusion, including 7 patients with primary lung adenocarcinoma before their treatments.
Results: A cDNA segment of SP-A was amplified from the pleural fluid cells of all patients with primary lung adenocarcinoma, indicating the presence of the SP-A gene transcript. None of the remaining patients, including those with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma, showed positive for the SP-A gene transcript.
Conclusion: These findings indicate that RT-PCR analysis of the SP-A gene transcript in pleural effusion is useful for the diagnosis of primary lung adenocarcinoma.