Prognostic significance of p21 protein expression in patients with pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma following induction chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND
The prognostic value of p21 protein expression in lung cancer patients has been assessed. However, its significance in those with pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma following induction chemotherapy (IC) remains unclear. We studied on patients who did or did not undergo IC (NIC) to elucidate the prognostic value of p21 protein expression.


METHODS
p21 protein expression was assessed immunohistochemically and samples with greater than 10% positive tumor cells were considered positive. We then analyzed clinical-pathological features, including p53 protein expression and prognosis, in 43 patients who underwent IC group and 40 who did not IC (NIC) group.


RESULTS
Positive nuclear p21 samples were obtained from 17 (41.5%) patients in the in IC group and 22 (55.0%) in the NIC group. In the IC group, there was no significant correlation between the histological effectiveness of chemotherapy and p53 protein expression, whereas a significant correlation was observed between that and p21 protein expression (p=0.048). Further, the prognosis for p21-positive patients tended to be better (p=0.0506) than for p21-negative patients, and was significant (p=0.048) in patients with pathological stage (p-stage) II or III disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that p21 protein expression is a prognostic factor for primary patients with pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma following IC.
Tamura
Motohiko
M
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Shimotsuga, Tochigi, Japan.
Sawabata
Noriyoshi
N
Kobayashi
Satoru
S
Umezu
Hideo
H
Seki
Norio
N
Yoshii
Naoko
N
Karube
Yoko
Y
Araki
Osamu
O
Ishihama
Hidemi
H
Nagai
Senkaku
S
Miyoshi
Shinichiro
S
D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D014751:Vindesine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D002945:Cisplatin; D014751:Vindesine