title: The prognostic significance of focal adhesion kinase expression in stage I non-small-cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) plays a significant role in cancer cell survival signaling and is overexpressed in various malignancies, including lung cancer. Previous studies suggest that FAK overexpression is an independent factor predicting poor prognosis in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study is to confirm these findings specifically in stage I NSCLC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective tissue microarray (TMA) analysis of FAK protein expression by immunohistochemistry was performed in 157 surgically resected stage I NSCLC specimen and in the corresponding matched normal lung tissue. The FAK 4.47 monoclonal antibody was used for FAK immunostaining. The scoring system of triplicate tumor cores included intensity of staining plus extent of staining for a composite score that ranged from 0 to 6. The association between FAK score and survival was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 103 stage IA and 54 stage IB patients, with mean follow-up of 5.5 years. Normal lung alveoli and interstitial tissue had mean FAK score of 0 (median score 0, range 0 to 2). Tumor samples had mean FAK score 3.1 (median score 3.5, range 0-6), with 57% of the samples having FAK score ≥ 3. Continuous FAK score was not associated with demographic data, tumor histology, or grade, nor survival in this cohort of stage I NSCLC patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FAK is expressed in more than 50% of stage I NSCLC lung cancer but not in normal lung alveoli and interstitial tissue. FAK expression is not associated with survival outcome in this North American cohort.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Medicine; †Department of Pathology; ‡Department of Biostatistics; and §Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY.
authors.forename: Grace K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Dy
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ylagan
authors.forename: Saraswati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pokharel
authors.forename: Austin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brese
authors.forename: Wiam
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bshara
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Cance
authors.forename: Vita M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Golubovskaya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases