Is mild elevation of NSE after early lung cancer surgery a manifestation of recurrence

Mild elevation of NSE after early lung cancer surgery is not necessarily a recurrence, it needs to be judged by other factors, regular reexamination and follow-up are very important. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is an acidic protease that exists in neurons and neuroendocrine cells and is significantly elevated in patients with small cell lung cancer and neuroblastoma. In lung cancer patients, NSE levels may be increased with tumor size, stage, metastasis and other factors, but may also be related to other factors, such as smoking, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, etc. Therefore, for patients with mild NSE increase after early lung cancer surgery, comprehensive evaluation, including chest CT, bone scan, head MRI, etc., should be performed to rule out the possibility of tumor recurrence or metastasis. At the same time, a comprehensive analysis based on the patient's clinical symptoms, signs, medical history, etc. is also needed. If other test results are normal and the patient has no obvious discomfort, the mild increase in NSE may be benign and does not require special treatment. However, regular re-examination is required. Monitor changes in NSE levels. If other test results are abnormal, or the patient has symptoms such as cough, hemoptysis, chest pain, etc., recurrence or metastasis should be highly suspected, and further examination and treatment are required. In short, mild elevation of NSE after early lung cancer surgery requires comprehensive consideration of multiple factors and cannot be simply judged as recurrence. Patients should follow the doctor's advice for comprehensive evaluation and treatment. It should be noted that for lung cancer patients, regular review and follow-up is very important, which helps to detect tumor recurrence or metastasis in time and improve treatment effect and survival rate. At the same time, patients should maintain good living habits, such as smoking cessation, healthy diet, moderate exercise, etc., to improve body immunity and prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis.