Predictive role of CYFRA 21-1 for S-1 monotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer patients

Background S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine derivative, is widely used for the treatment of several solid tumors. However, there are no predictive markers for its effectiveness. Methods We retrospectively screened 108 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated via S-1 monotherapy and investigated its relationship with cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) and CEA pretreatment levels. Results Sixty-one patients with high CYFRA 21-1 levels had a statistically significant shorter progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) than 46 patients with normal levels (median PFS = 42 days vs. 70 days, respectively; p = 0.0014; median OS = 197 days vs. 316 days, respectively, p = 0.0239). Conclusions Serum CYFRA 21-1 levels have predictive and prognostic roles in the management of patients with advanced NSCLC on S-1 monotherapy.