MUC1 mucin mRNA expression in stage I lung adenocarcinoma and its association with early recurrence.
BACKGROUND
MUC1 is a membrane-bound mucin with an extensively O-glycosylated core protein and is developmentally regulated and aberrantly expressed by carcinomas. A high level of MUC1 mucin expression and secretion is associated with high metastatic potential and a poor prognosis. We studied the expression of MUC1 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in stage I lung adenocarcinoma by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and examined its correlation with early recurrence.


METHODS
The expression of MUC1 mRNA, in surgical specimens from 33 patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma was determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The MUC1 and beta-actin sequences were subsequently coamplified to analyze the semiquantitative determination by polymerase chain reaction. The ratio of MUC1 to beta-actin product was used for further analysis.


RESULTS
An analysis of the disease-free survival (median follow-up, 33.4 months) revealed that a high expression of MUC1 was associated with early recurrence (p = 0.0191). Six of the 33 patients had recurrence within 2 years after operation. The recurrence sites suggested hematogenic metastasis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that MUC1 mRNA level may be useful as a marker of early recurrence in stage I lung adenocarcinoma.
Ohgami
A
A
Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences and Department of Surgery II, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan. gamisan@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
Tsuda
T
T
Osaki
T
T
Mitsudomi
T
T
Morimoto
Y
Y
Higashi
T
T
Yasumoto
K
K
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D015996:Survival Rate
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018396:Mucin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger