Risk of recurrence in patients with surgically resected stage I non-small cell lung carcinoma: histopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prognostic value of histopathologic variables and molecular markers in a group of patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
"María Ferrer" Hospital of Buenos Aires, Argentina.


METHODS
Pathologic stage IA and IB patients who underwent radical surgery and nonneoadjuvant therapy for NSCLC between January 1985 and December 1999.


RESULTS
Fifty-three patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were identified. The overall survival was 52.8%, and 28% of patients had recurrent disease. We found significant differences between squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma in mitotic counting (p = 0.001) and lymphatic permeation (p = 0.01). SCCs showed higher proliferation (MIB-1 grades 2 and 3) [p = 0.001], Bcl-2 expression (p = 0.038), and CD44 expression (p = 0.019) than adenocarcinomas. The log-rank test showed that mitosis count, necrosis, MIB-1, and Bcl-2 were predictive factors for relapse. All of them were associated with increased relapse and a shorter time to recurrence. Multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards regression model showed that mitosis count, Bcl-2 expression, and grade 3 of MIB-1 emerged as independent prognostic factors of recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that mitosis count and MIB-1 expression had significant value to predict recurrence, reflecting the aggressiveness of high-rate proliferative tumors. We could also show that patients with positive Bcl-2 tumors had a poor outcome, probably related to the uncontrolled cell growth that the expression of Bcl-2 promotes. Our observations are of potential interest for the development of rational postresection treatment strategies based on the estimated risk of recurrence of patients with NSCLC.
Poleri
Claudia
C
Pathology Service, Hospital de Rehabilitación Respiratoria María Ferrer, Buenos Aires, Argentina. cpoleri@fibertel.com.ar
Morero
José Luis
JL
Nieva
Beatriz
B
Vázquez
María Fernanda
MF
Rodríguez
Cristina
C
de Titto
Ernesto
E
Rosenberg
Moisés
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008938:Mitosis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2