title: Differential expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α in non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and vascular endothelial growth factor in small cell lung cancer and subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer and examine their relationships with clinicopathologic factors, response to treatment and survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined samples obtained by bronchial endoscopic biopsy from 55 patients with inoperable lung cancer (16 with adenocarcinoma, 17 with squamous cell carcinoma, and 22 with small cell lung cancer). Hypoxiainducible factor 1α and vascular endothelial growth factor were detected using immunohistochemistry. The diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients were conducted according to the standard practice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant difference (p=0.022) in hypoxia-inducible factor 1α expression was observed between nonsmall cell lung cancer (75.8% positive) and small cell lung cancer (45.5% positive). The frequency of hypoxiainducible factor 1α nuclear expression was 88.2% in squamous cell carcinoma, 62.5% in adenocarcinoma, and 45.5% in small cell lung cancer. A significant correlation was observed between hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and vascular endothelial growth factor expression (Fisher's exact test, p=0.001) when all types of lung cancer were examined, either collectively or separately.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α differs significantly between subtypes of lung cancer. These findings could help elucidate the biology of the different types of non-operable lung carcinomas and have implications for the design of new therapeutic approaches for lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical School, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karetsi
authors.forename: Maria G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ioannou
authors.forename: Theodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kerenidi
authors.forename: Markos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minas
authors.forename: Paschalis A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Molyvdas
authors.forename: Konstantinos I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Gourgoulianis
authors.forename: Efrosyni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paraskeva
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis*; D016014:Linear Models; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A