Expression of caspase-3 and c-myc in non-small cell lung cancer.
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.
Yoo
Jin young
Jy
Department of Pathology, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea.
Kim
Chi Hong
CH
Song
So Hyang
SH
Shim
Byoung Yong
BY
Jeong
Youn Ju
YJ
Ahn
Meyung Im
MI
Kim
Suji
S
Cho
Deog Gon
DG
Jo
Min Seop
MS
Cho
Kyu Do
KD
Cho
Hong Joo
HJ
Kang
Seok Jin
SJ
Kim
Hoon Kyo
HK