title: Maspin expression and its clinical significance in non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maspin is a member of the serpin (serine protease inhibitor) superfamily, and its exact function in the development and progression of malignant tumors remains controversial, though some experimental studies have revealed potential tumor-suppressor activities. In addition, there have been only a few clinical studies on maspin expression in malignant tumors including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this study was to assess maspin expression and its clinical significance in NSCLC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 210 consecutive patients with completely resected pathological (p-) stage I-IIIA NSCLC were retrospectively reviewed. Maspin expression along with intratumoral microvessel density, proliferative activity, and p53 status were evaluated immunohistochemically. The incidence of apoptotic cell death was also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of strong maspin expression was significantly higher in lung squamous cell carcinoma (56/76, 73.7%; P < .001) than in other histological types. The incidence of aberrant expression of p53 was significantly higher in maspin-strong than in maspin-weak tumors (56.2% and 35.8%, respectively; P = .005). There was no difference in prognosis according to maspin status for all patients. However, for squamous cell carcinoma patients, univariate analysis showed that enhanced maspin expression was a significant factor in predicting a favorable prognosis (5-year survival rates, 70.1% for maspin-strong tumors and 41.5% for maspin-weak tumors; P = .014), which was confirmed in a multivariate analysis (hazard ratio = .475, 95% confidence interval .241-.936; P = .032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Enhanced maspin expression was a significant and independent factor in predicting a favorable prognosis in lung squamous cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Hiromichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Katakura
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takenaka
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yanagihara
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Otake
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Fumihiro
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017209:Apoptosis; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015843:Serpins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: C085344:SERPIN-B5; D015843:Serpins