Soluble CD27 (sCD27) is associated with somatic immune reaction status. Moreover, sCD27 level is associated with the prognosis of patients with prostate cancer who receive immunotherapy. In this study, we assessed sCD27 levels in patients with advanced lung cancer and determined their correlation with survival and clinicopathologic parameters. Serum samples were collected from patients with advanced lung cancer, and sCD27 was quantified via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The association between sCD27 levels and clinicopathologic status and patient survival was retrospectively analyzed. Of 96 patients analyzed, 73 had adenocarcinoma, 7 had squamous cell carcinoma, and 15 had small cell carcinoma. Median serum sCD27 level was 36.54 U/mL (range, undetectable-104.47); this is lower than that previously reported for patients with lung cancer, including those with localized stages. Patients with squamous cell carcinoma had higher sCD27 levels (p = 0.010). Age, performance status, and serum albumin levels were significantly correlated with serum sCD27 level. Patients with high serum sCD27 levels (\u226532.52 U/mL; n = 58) had poorer prognosis than those with low serum sCD27 levels (<32.52 U/mL, n = 38; median survival, 7.3 vs. 21.8 months, respectively, p< 0.0001). High sCD27 level is associated with poor prognosis and may reflect the immune-exhausted status of patients with advanced lung cancer.
