مجلة كلية الطب · Published 2026-07-01 · DOI 10.32007/jfacmedbaghdad3260
Zinah Al-Hayali, Rasha M. Alhumairi
Background: Small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer are the two main types of lung cancer and major causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Objectives: To compare serum cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 levels between treated and untreated patients with small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer, and healthy controls. Methods: This case-control study was conducted at the Oncology Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, from December 2024 to June 2025. The study included 180 participants: 24 patients with small cell lung cancer, 96 with non-small cell lung cancer, and 60 healthy controls. Serum cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and complete blood count parameters were measured using an automated hematology analyzer. Results: Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 levels differed significantly among the control, small cell lung cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer groups (p = 0.02), with higher levels in small cell lung cancer and lower levels in non-small cell lung cancer than controls. No significant differences were observed between treated and untreated patients in either group. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 levels were significantly associated with Programmed death-ligand 1 categories in treated non-small cell lung cancer patients (p = 0.01), but not in untreated patients (p = 0.12). Complete blood count parameters differed significantly among the study groups, suggesting systemic inflammatory changes. Serum cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 showed limited diagnostic performance. Conclusion: Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 levels were significantly associated with Programmed death-ligand 1 expression in treated patients. Complete blood count, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4, and Programmed death-ligand 1 may provide useful information on the inflammatory and immunological status of lung cancer patients, but further studies are needed to confirm their clinical significance.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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Al-Hayali, Z., Alhumairi, R. (2026). Comparisons of serum CTLA-4 levels between treated and Untreated SCLC and NSCLC Patients. مجلة كلية الطب. https://doi.org/10.32007/jfacmedbaghdad3260