title: Reduction of Raf Kinase Inhibitor Protein Expression is Associated with Lymph Node Metastasis in Resectable Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) had been identified as one of prognostic indictor in various malignant diseases. Association of RKIP expression and the clinical-pathological features were not investigated in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  159 sectioned samples from surgical NSCLC patients were investigated by immunohistochemistry in order to reveal the associations between RKIP expression and clinical-pathologic features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically, Lower RKIP expression level was found in the group with higher N stage (P<0.01) and higher TNM stage (P<0.05). No significant correlation was observed between RKIP expressions and histologic type (P>0.05) and tumor size (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Down expression level of RKIP was found relating to lymph node metastasis in resectable NSCLC patients in this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Huang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guoqiang
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shengxi
authors.forename: Deng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhenghao
authors.forename: Huang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lingjin