• Andras Bikov, Zsofia Lazar, Nora Gyulai, Marton Szentkereszty, Gyorgy Losonczy, Ildiko Horvath, and Gabriella Galffy.
• Department of Pulmonology, Semmelweis University, 1/C Dios arok, Budapest, 1125, Hungary. andras.bikov@gmail.com.
• Lung. 2015 Dec 1; 193 (6): 957-63.

PurposeLung cancer may be associated with airway acidification due to enhanced airway inflammation and oxidative stress. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH is a non-invasive indicator of airway acidity; however, it is still unclear how EBC pH changes in lung cancer. The aim of the study was to investigate EBC pH in lung cancer together with clinical variables.MethodsThirty-five patients with lung cancer and 37 control subjects (21 patients with stable COPD and 16 non-COPD smokers) were enrolled. EBC was collected for pH, which was determined with the argon-purging method, compared among the groups and correlated with clinical variables of patients with lung cancer.ResultsNo difference was found in EBC pH between patients with lung cancer and control subjects. However, endobronchial tumour localisation, squamous-cell carcinoma subtype and gastro-oesophageal reflux were associated with low EBC pH values. No relationship was observed between EBC pH and the presence of COPD, lung function variables or smoking history.ConclusionsAlthough, EBC pH is unchanged in lung cancer, lower EBC pH values are associated with distinct phenotypes. Our findings could facilitate further research on airway acidity in lung cancer.

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