Membrane-bound estrogen receptor-α expression and epidermal growth factor receptor mutation are associated with a poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma patients.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study is to clarify the correlations between the expression of membrane-bound estrogen receptor-α (mERα) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation and clinicopathological factors, especially in relation to the prognosis, in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective review of the data of 51 lung adenocarcinoma patients with tumors measuring less than 3 cm in diameter. Immunohistochemical staining for mERα expression and detection of the EGFR mutation status were performed.


RESULTS
Among the 51 patients, the tumors in 15 showed both mERα expression and EGFR mutation. ("double positive") Significant associations between "double positive" and vascular invasion, vascular endothelial growth factor expression, and Ki-67 expression were observed. A multivariate analysis revealed that only "double positive" was an independent risk factor influencing the recurrence-free survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Presence of mERα expression together with EGFR mutation was found to be an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma, suggesting cross-talk between mERα and EGFR mutation.
Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Okayama 701-0192, Japan. kshimizu@med.kawasaki-m.ac.jp
Katsuhiko
K
Shimizu
Yuji
Y
Hirami
Shinsuke
S
Saisho
Takuro
T
Yukawa
Ai
A
Maeda
Koichiro
K
Yasuda
Masao
M
Nakata
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C506487:ESR1 protein, human; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D005819:Genetic Markers; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D066246:ErbB Receptors