title: Galectin expression profiling identifies galectin-1 and Galectin-9Δ5 as prognostic factors in stage I/II non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: Approximately 30-40% of the patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) will present with recurrent disease within two years of resection. Here, we performed extensive galectin expression profiling in a retrospective study using frozen and paraffin embedded tumor tissues from 87 stage I/II NSCLC patients. Our data show that galectin mRNA expression in NSCLC is confined to galectin-1, -3, -4, -7, -8, and -9. Next to stage, univariable Cox regression analysis identified galectin-1, galectin-9FL and galectin-9Δ5 as possible prognostic markers. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates revealed that overall survival was significantly shorter in patients that express galectin-1 above median levels, i.e., 23.0 (2.9-43.1) vs. 59.9 (47.7-72.1) months (p = 0.020) as well as in patients that express galectin-9Δ5 or galectin-9FL below the median, resp. 59.9 (41.9-75.9) vs. 32.8 (8.7-56.9) months (p = 0.014) or 23.2 (-0.4-46.8) vs. 58.9 (42.9-74.9) months (p = 0.042). All three galectins were also prognostic for disease free survival. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that for OS, the most significant prognostic model included stage, age, gal-1 and gal-9Δ5 while the model for DFS included stage, age and gal-9Δ5. In conclusion, the current study confirms the prognostic value of galectin-1 and identifies galectin-9Δ5 as novel potential prognostic markers in early stage NSCLC. These findings could help to identify early stage NSCLC patients that might benefit most from adjuvant chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Medical Oncology, VU University medical center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Iris A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Schulkens
authors.affiliation: Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Medical Oncology, VU University medical center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heusschen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Maastricht University medical center, Maastricht, The Netherlands; GROW - School for oncology and developmental biology, Maastricht University medical center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: van den Boogaart
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Maastricht University medical center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Robert-Jan
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: van Suylen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Maastricht University medical center, Maastricht, The Netherlands; GROW - School for oncology and developmental biology, Maastricht University medical center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anne-Marie C
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Dingemans
authors.affiliation: Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Medical Oncology, VU University medical center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arjan W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Griffioen
authors.affiliation: Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Medical Oncology, VU University medical center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Radiotherapy, VU University medical center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Victor L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Thijssen
mesh_terms: D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D037483:Galectin 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D037161:Galectins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D037483:Galectin 1; D037161:Galectins; C105032:LGALS9 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger