Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40478358›Full record

ArticleDiscover oncology2025

Plasma NLRC4 and NLRP3 as potential diagnostic biomarkers for non-small cell lung cancer in pulmonary tuberculosis.

Mengting Xiong, Shuanshuan Xie, Chenlei Cai, Jun Ma, Jiawei Yang, Yunlu Gu, Jian Ni, Haiyan Cui, Wei Sha

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Discover oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Mengting Xiong *Clinic and Research Center of Tuberculosis, Department of Oncology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 507 Zheng Min Road, Shanghai, 200433, China. dr_xiongmengting@163.com.
Shuanshuan Xie *Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
Chenlei Cai *Clinic and Research Center of Tuberculosis, Department of Oncology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 507 Zheng Min Road, Shanghai, 200433, China.
Jun MaClinic and Research Center of Tuberculosis, Department of Oncology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 507 Zheng Min Road, Shanghai, 200433, China.
Jiawei YangClinic and Research Center of Tuberculosis, Department of Oncology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 507 Zheng Min Road, Shanghai, 200433, China.
Yunlu GuDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
Jian NiClinic and Research Center of Tuberculosis, Department of Oncology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 507 Zheng Min Road, Shanghai, 200433, China.
Haiyan CuiClinic and Research Center of Tuberculosis, Department of Oncology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 507 Zheng Min Road, Shanghai, 200433, China.
Wei ShaClinic and Research Center of Tuberculosis, Department of Oncology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 507 Zheng Min Road, Shanghai, 200433, China. shfksw@126.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDifferentiating NSCLC from PTB remains a clinical challenge, especially when new or enlarging lung lesions appear during tuberculosis treatment. This often leads to missed surgical opportunities and delays in cancer management. Accurately identifying NSCLC within the context of PTB is essential for timely intervention.

methodsSeventy-five participants were recruited, including 25 with both PTB and NSCLC (NSCLC group), 40 age- and gender-matched PTB patients (control group), and 10 healthy volunteers. Plasma NLRC4 and NLRP3 levels were analyzed using ELISA. Statistical analyses, including t-tests, ANOVA, regression, and ROC analyses, were performed to assess biomarker levels and diagnostic utility.

resultsPlasma levels of NLRC4 and NLRP3 in the NSCLC group were significantly higher than those in the healthy volunteer group (1451.17 ± 262.92 pg/mL vs. 1161.03 ± 137.26 pg/mL, p = 0.0020; 199.91 ± 56.29 pg/mL vs. 125.13 ± 25.58 pg/mL, p = 0.0003), but significantly lower than those in the control group (1645.67 ± 229.01 pg/mL, p = 0.0034; 241.88 ± 67.24 pg/mL, p = 0.0016). In patients with concomitant PTB and NSCLC, NLRC4 levels demonstrated a significant positive correlation with age (p = 0.0139), while NLRP3 levels exhibited a significant positive correlation with vitamin B levels (p = 0.0057). The combination of NLRC4 and NLRP3 exhibited the most promising diagnostic value for NSCLC (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.769), particularly in Stage I-II (AUC: 0.718), adenocarcinoma (AUC: 0.785), and individuals aged ≤ 60 years (AUC: 0.848).

conclusionsPlasma NLRC4 and NLRP3 levels are promising biomarkers for distinguishing NSCLC in TB patients, with their combined use enhancing diagnostic accuracy in specific patient groups.

Indexed as

BiomarkersNLRC4NLRP3Non-small cell lung cancerPulmonary tuberculosis

Identifiers

PMID40478358
PMCPMC12144003

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.