Abstract
AIM: A prospective investigation of serum thymidine kinase 1 concentration (STK1p) was performed to evaluate its prognostic value in patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLCs). PATIENTS & METHODS: The STK1p values of 127 patients were determined by an enhanced chemiluminescent dot blot assay. The patients were recruited from March 2011 to December 2017. RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier plot showed that patients with elevated STK1p values had worse overall survival (OS), especially patients of early/middle stages. Multi-variable COX regression showed that STK1p value and combined treatment surgery + chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for favorable OS. CONCLUSION: STK1p is helpful in predicting OS of early/middle stages (I-IIIA) NSCLCs patients following a nonrandomized individual adapted treatment, but is may be not recommended in advanced stages (IIIB + IV) of NSCLCs.