| Affiliation: | 1. Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan;2. Division of Virology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan;3. Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Nerima Hikarigaoka Hospital, Tokyo, Japan |
| Abstract: | BackgroundSeveral studies have reported that viral infections are related to lung cancer. We previously reported the involvement of Torque teno virus (TTV) in patients with lung cancer and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. However, the role of TTV in lung cancer growth, and its influence on changes in TTV DNA titers due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in lung cancer patients are poorly understood.MethodsSerum TTV DNA titers were measured in serum samples obtained from patients with lung cancer. Forty-eight patients with primary lung cancer, including 8 patients with IPF, were enrolled. Serum TTV DNA titers were quantitated before and after chemotherapy. In addition, patients were classified into two groups according to the presence or absence of IPF, and clinical characteristics were compared between these two groups.ResultsAmong the 33 patients with partial response to treatment or stable disease in the lung cancer, the mean TTV DNA titer in 28 patients without IPF had significantly decreased after chemotherapy. In contrast, the mean TTV DNA titer in the 5 patients with IPF tended to increase after chemotherapy. In the 15 patients with progressive lung cancer, TTV DNA titers were significantly elevated in those with and without IPF.ConclusionIn lung cancer patients without IPF, changes in TTV titers may be correlated with tumor growth. However, in lung cancer patients with IPF, TTV titers were not consistently associated with chemotherapy responses. Therefore, IPF may have an influence on changes in TTV DNA titers. |
