title: Expression of caspase-3 and c-myc in non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Caspase-3 is a cysteine protease that plays an important role in the process of apoptotic cell death, but little has been studied clinically on caspase-3 in lung cancer. Increased c-myc expression can result in mitosis or apoptosis, and its contribution to the pathogenesis and prognosis of lung cancer has gained interest. In the present study, the expressions of caspase-3 and c-myc, along with their possible correlations with prognostic variables, were analyzed in resected non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Archival tumor tissues from 147 previously untreated NSCLC patients were examined by immunohistochemistry for the expressions of caspase-3 and c-myc proteins. Clinical information was obtained through the computerized retrospective database from the tumor registry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expressions of caspase-3 and c-myc were detected in 60 (88/147) and 16% (24/147) of tumors, respectively. No association was found between caspase-3 and c-myc expressions. A multivariate analysis demonstrated the N status and pathologic stage to be significantly correlated with poor survival (p-value=.018 and .002, respectively), but positive expression of caspase-3 was associated with a good prognosis (p=.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest the involvement of caspase-3 in the tumorigenesis of NSCLC. It is also noteworthy that caspase-3 expression might be a favorable prognostic indicator in these tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin young
authors.initials: Jy
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Chi Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: So Hyang
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Byoung Yong
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Youn Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Meyung Im
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Suji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Deog Gon
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Min Seop
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Kyu Do
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hong Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Seok Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Hoon Kyo
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kim