Low expression of Bax predicts poor prognosis in resected non-small cell lung cancer patients with non-squamous histology.
OBJECTIVE
The present study evaluated the prognostic significance of apoptosis-related proteins p53, Bax and galectin-3 in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with surgical resection.


METHODS
We investigated the expression of these proteins and their association with clinicopathologic characteristics including disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in 205 NSCLC patients who underwent surgical resection (Stage I, 97; II, 46; IIIA, 45; IIIB, 17) using immunohistochemistry. Eighty-eight patients (43%) received adjuvant treatment (chemotherapy: 8, radiotherapy: 24, both: 56).


RESULTS
High expressions of Bax, p53 and galectin-3 were observed in 48 (23%), 81 (40%) and 105 (51%) patients, respectively. Low expression of Bax was significantly associated with male gender, squamous cell histology and low expression of galectin-3. Five-year DFS and OS of total patients were 37 and 46%, respectively. High expressions of p53 and galectin-3 were not associated with poor DFS or OS, and no significant correlation existed between low expression of Bax and outcome of patients. However, in patients with non-squamous histology (108 patients), low expression of Bax was a significant independent predictor of poor DFS (P = 0.017) and OS (P = 0.037). In addition, in patients with Stage II or III disease, low expression of Bax significantly correlated with poor DFS (P = 0.004). It was also the most significant independent poor prognostic factor second only to a large primary tumor size in Stage II or III patients with non-squamous histology.


CONCLUSIONS
Low expression of Bax was significantly associated with poor prognosis in resected NSCLC patients with non-squamous histology.
Jeong
Seong Hyun
SH
Department of Hematology-Oncology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
Lee
Hyun-Woo
HW
Han
Jae Ho
JH
Kang
Seok Yun
SY
Choi
Jin-Hyuk
JH
Jung
Youn Mu
YM
Choi
Ho
H
Oh
Young Taek
YT
Park
Kwang Joo
KJ
Hwang
Sung Chul
SC
Sheen
Seung Soo
SS
Oh
Yoon Jung
YJ
Kim
Jang Hee
JH
Lim
Ho-Yeong
HY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D000093542:Gemcitabine
C494826:BAX protein, human; D037502:Galectin 3; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D016190:Carboplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine
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