TGF-α in lung adenocarcinoma patients in Xuanwei (median, 20.3 pg/mL) was higher than that of patients with benign lung lesions (median, 1.8 pg/mL, p<0.005) and lung adenocarcinoma in outside of Xuanwei of Yunnan when patient less than 60 (median, 5.9 pg/mL in <50 years and 8.5 pg/mL in 50<years⩽60, and p<0.005). Here, TGFA is linked to lung adenocarcinoma.