A novel molecular staging protocol for non-small cell lung cancer.
A molecular staging protocol using reliable markers is of importance in predicting the prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and for instituting their appropriate post-surgical treatment. We analysed tumor tissues from 187 NSCLC patients. The DNA and mRNA were extracted from frozen specimens, and then polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and direct sequencing were performed to investigate mutations of p53 from exons 5-8, and mutations of K-ras at exon 1. To determine MRP-1/CD9 gene and KA11/CD82 gene expression, which have been postulated to be metastasis suppressor genes, we have applied quantitative RT-PCR. A Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that nodal status, MRP-1/CD9 and K-ras status were significant factors for prognosis (P<0.0001, P=0.0083 and P=0.0004, respectively). Based on these results, we classified the patients into three groups according to their MRP-1/ CD9 and K-ras status. Patients with both MRP-1/CD9 positive and wild K-ras tumors were defined as group A, patients with either reduced MRP-1/CD9 or mutant K-ras tumors were defined as group B and patients with both reduced MRP-1/CD9 and mutant K-ras tumors were designated as group C. This new classification was significantly correlated with the tumor status and pathological stage (P=0.0098 and P=0.0017, respectively). The overall survival rate of the group A patients was significantly better than the group B patients (59.6% vs 27.9%, P=0.0001) and also that of group B patients was better than the group C patients (27.9% vs 20.0%, P=0.0378). This tendency was also found in patients with 110 node-negative NSCLCs (A vs B vs C=75.8% vs 34.9% vs 0.0%, P<0.0001). A Cox multivariate regression analysis in NSCLC patients demonstrated that an evaluation for both MRP-1/CD9 expression and K-ras mutations had a significant prognostic effect as well as nodal status (P<0.0001).
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D051861:Kangai-1 Protein; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D012907:Smoking; D016019:Survival Analysis; D060245:Tetraspanin 29