High coexpression of both insulin-like growth factor receptor-1 (IGFR-1) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is associated with shorter disease-free survival in resected non-small-cell lung cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
Insulin-like growth factor receptor-1 (IGFR-1) represents a novel molecular target in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). IGFR-1 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation is essential to mediate tumor cell survival, proliferation and invasion. We explored the correlation between IGFR-1 and EGFR, their relationship with clinicopathological parameters and their impact on outcome in resected stage I-III NSCLC patients.


METHODS
Tumors from 125 surgical NSCLC patients were evaluated for IGFR-1 and EGFR expression by immunohistochemistry. Kaplan-Meier estimates of survival and time to recurrence were calculated for clinical variables and biologic markers using the Cox model for multivariate analysis.


RESULTS
IGFR-1 protein overexpression was detected in 36.0% of NSCLC patients and was associated with larger tumor size (P = 0.04) but not with other clinical or biological characteristics. EGFR protein overexpression was observed in 55.2% of NSCLC, more frequently in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) than non-SCC (63.7% versus 36.3%, chi(2) = 9.8, P = 0.001). IGFR-1 protein expression was associated with EGFR protein expression (P = 0.03). At the multivariate analysis, high coexpression of both IGFR-1 and EGFR was a significant prognostic factor of worse disease-free survival (DFS) (hazard ratio 2.51, P = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
A statistically significant association was observed between high coexpression of both IGFR-1 and EGFR and worse DFS in early NSCLC patients.
Ludovini
V
V
Division of Medical Oncology, Public Hospital, Perugia, Italy. oncolab@hotmail.com
Bellezza
G
G
Pistola
L
L
Bianconi
F
F
Di Carlo
L
L
Sidoni
A
A
Semeraro
A
A
Del Sordo
R
R
Tofanetti
F R
FR
Mameli
M G
MG
Daddi
G
G
Cavaliere
A
A
Tonato
M
M
Crinò
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1 / Q000032:analysis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1