Abstract: Objective To explore the diagnostic significance of the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α) in pleural effusion between tuberculosis and lung cancer.Methods Fifty three cases with tuberculosis pleural effusion(32 males and 21 females) and 61 cases with lung cancer with pleural effusion(45 males and 16 females) were enrolled;the control group included 55 cases(31 males and 24 females);all of specimens were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) and the data were analyzed by SPSS statistical software.Results The pleural effusion levels of TNF-α were(36.38±4.73)ng/L and(11.42±2.57)ng/L in tuberculosis group and lung cancer group,repectively.TNF-α content in the lung cancer group pleural effusion was less than that of tuberculous pleural fluid(t=35.63,P<0.001).Compared with the disease groups and the control group,blood levels of TNF-α was(11.75±1.94) ng/L,(28.43±4.11) ng/L and(13.88±2.33)ng/L in the control group,the lung cancer group and pulmonary tuberculosis group,respectively.which showed statistically significant(t=27.46,P<0.01).Conclusion This study shows that there was of significance of TNF-α level in pleural effusion and peripheral blood for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of lung cancer and pulmonary tuberculosis.

Key words: Tuberculosis,pleural/diagnosis, Lung neoplasms, Pleural effusion, Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, Diagnosis,differential