Zhang N, Tan Q, Song Y, et al. - MIG might serve as an indicator of postoperative recurrence in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and aid the identification of cases that are easy to relapse post-surgery.

• With the help of high throughput cytokine antibody arrays and ELISA, experts intended to screen as well as validate the potential serum cytokine markers to predict postoperative recurrence in a total of 396 operated NSCLC patients.

• Mean value of serum MIG levels was significantly higher in NSCLC patients vs healthy controls.

• Serum MIG concentrations were 366.36 ± 324.04 pg/mL, 134.04 ± 127.52 pg/mL, and 208.05 ± 239.39 pg/mL in pre-operation, post-operation, and in recurrence in NSCLC patients, respectively.

• Post-surgery, a marked reduction in serum MIG levels was evident, and MIG levels notably rose when relapse occurred.

• Factors linked with a higher serum MIG level included male gender, older age, smoking habit, poor tumor differentiation, and non-adenocarcinoma histology.