Neuron specific enolase

Neuron specific enolase (NSE) is a cell specific isoenzyme of the glycolytic enzyme enolase. It is sometimes considered as a tumor marker.

Elevated neuron specific enolase levels have shown to occur in associated with

• tumors
  • small cell lung cancer: up to 70% of patients with small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) can have elevated serum NSE concentrations 
  • other neuroendocrine tumors:
    • carcinoid tumors
    • islet cell tumors
    • neuroblastoma
  • non small cell lung cancer
  • melanoma
  • seminoma
  • renal cell carcinoma
  • Merkel cell tumor
  • dysgerminoma
  • immature teratoma
  • malignant pheochromocytoma
• non malignant conditions
  • Guillain-Barré syndrome
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease