title: Clinical relevance of galectin-1 expression in non-small cell lung cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identification of biomarkers in lung cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, has a meaningful clinical relevance in the quest of novel prognostic factors and therapeutic targets. The glycan-binding protein galectin-1 (Gal-1) modulates tumor progression by mediating cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions, as well as angiogenesis and tumor immune-escape. Previous works reported the expression of Gal-1 in lung cancer, although its clinical significance remains uncertain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinicopathologic relevance and prognostic value of Gal-1 expression in a cohort of 103 Stage I-III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gal-1 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in tumor tissue samples. The percentage of immunoreactive tumor cells and stroma, as well as the presence of blood vessels with positively stained endothelium in the tumor and surrounding normal tissue, were recorded. Results were correlated with the clinicopathologic factors of the patients (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, chi-square test) and overall survival by univariate (Kaplan Meier) and multivariate analyses (Cox regression hazard model).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We did not observe significant associations between Gal-1 expression and relevant clinicopathologic features at diagnosis of NSCLC. However, Kaplan Meier analysis revealed a significant association between Gal-1 expression and overall survival, when Gal-1 expression was analyzed on tumor cells alone ("tumor cell percentage") or when an integrated score accounting for tumor cell as well as stromal expression of Gal-1 ("total score") was assessed. Patients showing high Gal-1 expression evidenced a poorer clinical outcome. Furthermore, "total score" remained significantly associated with survival by multivariate Cox regression analysis in the whole cohort of patients, even when controlling for the classical predictors and prognostic factors of NSCLC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that Gal-1 expression may be a useful biomarker for better prediction of the clinical outcome and management of NSCLC patients.
authors.affiliation: Área de Investigación, Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo", Av. San Martín 5481, C1417DTB Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: mjcarlini@hotmail.com.ar.
authors.forename: María José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Carlini
authors.affiliation: Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Gascón 450, C1181ACH Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roitman
authors.affiliation: Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Gascón 450, C1181ACH Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nuñez
authors.affiliation: Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Gascón 450, C1181ACH Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: María Guadalupe
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pallotta
authors.affiliation: Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Gascón 450, C1181ACH Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gastón
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boggio
authors.affiliation: Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Gascón 450, C1181ACH Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salatino
authors.affiliation: Área de Investigación, Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo", Av. San Martín 5481, C1417DTB Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Elisa D Bal de Kier
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Joffé
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN Buenos Aires, Argentina; Laboratorio de Glicómica Funcional, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gabriel A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Rabinovich
authors.affiliation: Área de Investigación, Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo", Av. San Martín 5481, C1417DTB Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: lydiapur@fmed.uba.ar.
authors.forename: Lydia I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Puricelli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D037483:Galectin 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D047368:Tumor Burden
chemical_list: D037483:Galectin 1
keywords: Biomarker; Galectin-1; Immunohistochemistry; Lung cancer; Prognosis; Survival