Expression And Clinical Relevance Of Molecular Markers In Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the world. The morbidity and mortality rates remain highest in all cancers, so finding predictable molecular markers for lung cancer will help to reduce the incidence and to improve accuracy rate of clinical diagnosis and individualized treatment of lung cancer.METHODS: We collected 196 cases of Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with clinical and pathological data. Expression of 20 candidate proteins was detected by using the techniques of tissue microarrays and immunohistochemistry (TMA-IHC). The correlations between the alteration of the proteins and clinicopathological parameters were analyzed.RESULTS: In the tested 20 proteins, uPA,ET-1,p53,ki67 and EGFR presented higher frequencies of abnormal expression in cancer tissues. Negative/weak, moderate and high expression of uPA were observed in 12.3%, 64.4% and 23.3% of squamous cell carcinomas, in 12.2%, 53.7% and 34.1% of adenocarcinomas, and in 12.3%, 58.7% and 29.0% of all cases. ET-1 presented negative/weak, moderate and high expression in 2.7%, 42.5% and 54.8%of squamous cell carcinomas, in 11.0%, 30.5% and 58.5% of adenocarcinomas, and in 7.1%, 36.1% and 56.8%of all cases. Adenocarcinoma patients with high expression of uPA or with high expression of both ET-1 and uPA with had the longer survival time (P = 0.007 and 0.016). Over-expression of p53, ki67 and EGFR was in 59.3%, 65.4% and 67.9% of squamous cell carcinomas, and in 60.4%, 44.0% and 54.9% of adenocarcinomas. In contrast, positive rates of these three proteins in adjacent histopathologically normal tissues were only 14.0%, 7.0% and 12.2%.CONCLUSION: uPA and ET-1 protein is most likely the joint application of a prognostic factor of non-small lung cancer. Detection of p53, ki67 and EGFR might contribute to the diagnosis evaluation of the diseases.