Clinical characteristic and proportion of lung cancer with latent tuberculosis: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is prevalent in lung cancer patients due to immunosuppression from both cancer and its treatments, which can reactivate Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Compromised immune responses lead to granuloma formation, where the bacteria remain dormant. Diagnosis is commonly conducted using tuberculin skin test (TST) or interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA), though these tests have limitations in immunocompromised patients. Risk factors include older age, smoking, low Body Mass Index (BMI), and comorbidities such as diabetes and COPD. This study aims to evaluate the clinical characteristics and prevalence of LTBI in lung cancer patients.METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 75 lung cancer patients, 35 with latent tuberculosis (LTBI) and 40 without, admitted to the Wahidin Sudirohusodo Central Hospital, Makassar, Indonesia. LTBI was diagnosed using the tuberculin skin test (TST). Baseline data (age, BMI, lymphocyte count, smoking status, cancer stage, etc.) were analyzed using χ2 and Fisher’s Exact Tests, with Mann-Whitney U Tests for non-normally distributed variables. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05, using IBM SPSS 24 (IL, USA).RESULTS: The study found that lower BMI (<18.5) and upper lobe lung cancer were significantly associated with latent tuberculosis (P=0.01, P=0.02). Patients with latent tuberculosis had a lower median lymphocyte count (1990/μL) than those without (2790/μL), indicating a potential link between lower lymphocyte counts and latent tuberculosis in lung cancer patients.CONCLUSIONS: BMI below 18.5, upper lobe lung cancer, and lower lymphocyte counts were significantly associated with LTBI. Other factors like sex, age, smoking, comorbidities, and cancer stage showed no significant relationship with LTBI in lung cancer patients.

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