[Significance of fatty acid synthase expression in non-small cell lung cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
FAS was examined by immunohistochemical S-P technique in 175 specimens of NSCLC patients. Multiple clinical factors were analyzed according to their relation with expression of FAS.


RESULTS
The overall FAS expression rate was 31.4% (55/175). The expression of FAS in the non-adenocarcinoma patients was significantly higher than that of adenocarcinoma patients (38.4% vs 22.4%, P = 0.036). Higher FAS expression was also detected in patients who had vascular invasion or bone metastasis than those without (75.0% vs 29.3%, P = 0.02 and 46.9% vs 28.0%, P = 0.037). But, there was no significant difference between FAS and other clinical factors such as age, sex, smoking index, tumor size, stage, degree of differentiation, lymphatic metastasis, local recurrence or distant metastasis. Although there was no significant difference in the survival rates of FAS positive and negative patients (P = 0.066), the survival rate of FAS positive stage I patients was lower than that of negative ones (P = 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Fatty acid synthase in the specimens of non-small cell lung cancer patients has no correlation with most clinical factors, except that, in early lesions, it may signify poor prognosis.
Wang
Yan
Y
Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Institute (Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
Zhang
Xiangru
X
Tan
Wei
W
Fu
Jun
J
Zhang
Wei
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases