Tuberculosis does not cause elevated serum osteopontin. Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease, which is one of the diseases with the longest history of human beings, and is a relatively serious public health problem in our country. Serum osteopontin, an epithelial cell scaffolding protein, is abundantly expressed in the serum of lung cancer patients, leading to a significant increase in serum osteopontin in lung cancer patients. Generally, tuberculosis does not lead to elevated serum osteopontin, and the diagnosis of tuberculosis mainly relies on sputum smear, chest X-ray examination, clinical manifestations, etc. The measurement of serum collagen levels can actually differentiate lung cancer from tuberculosis and other benign respiratory conditions. Individuals who have abnormal serum osteopontin levels should cooperate with their doctors for further testing to make a definitive diagnosis.