The alternatively spliced actinin-4 variant as a prognostic marker for metastasis in small-cell lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
The alternatively spliced actinin-4 variant (ACTN4va) is expressed in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and is thought to be a potential diagnostic marker. However, ACTN4va expression has not been examined in transbronchial biopsy specimens.


METHODS
We retrospectively examined the relationship between ACTN4va expression, clinical factors and survival in 104 consecutive newly-diagnosed SCLC patients.


RESULTS
Of the 104 screened cases, 83 (median age=69 years; transbronchial biopsy, 71) were included in our study. Survival was significantly different in the group with no distant metastasis (1996 vs. 422 days, respectively; p=0.000115) but was not significantly different with regard to ACTN4va expression in the group with distant metastasis (293 vs. 254 days, respectively; p=0.678).


CONCLUSIONS
ACTN4va expression was identifiable in small biopsy samples. ACTN4va expression was also significantly related to distant metastasis and could stratify SCLC patients according to prognosis.
Department of Thoracic Malignancy, Osaka Prefectural Medical Center for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Norio
N
Okamoto
Department of Thoracic Malignancy, Osaka Prefectural Medical Center for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Osaka, Japan suzukih@opho.jp.
Hidekazu
H
Suzuki
Department of Pathology, Osaka Prefectural Medical Center for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Kunimitsu
K
Kawahara
Division of Chemotherapy and Clinical Research, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Kazufumi
K
Honda
Division of Chemotherapy and Clinical Research, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Nami
N
Miura
Department of Thoracic Malignancy, Osaka Prefectural Medical Center for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Tomonori
T
Hirashima
Department of Thoracic Malignancy, Osaka Prefectural Medical Center for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Motohiro
M
Tamiya
Department of Thoracic Malignancy, Osaka Prefectural Medical Center for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Naoko
N
Morishita
Department of Thoracic Malignancy, Osaka Prefectural Medical Center for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Takayuki
T
Shiroyama
Department of Thoracic Malignancy, Osaka Prefectural Medical Center for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Ayako
A
Tanaka
Department of Thoracic Malignancy, Osaka Prefectural Medical Center for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Eriko
E
Tani
Department of Thoracic Malignancy, Osaka Prefectural Medical Center for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Masanari
M
Hamaguchi
Department of Clinical Investigation, Osaka Prefectural Medical Center for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Masashi
M
Kitani
Division of Chemotherapy and Clinical Research, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Tesshi
T
Yamada
Department of Thoracic Malignancy, Osaka Prefectural Medical Center for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Ichiro
I
Kawase
D000185:Actinin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017398:Alternative Splicing; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology
C111453:ACTN4 protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000185:Actinin
Small-cell lung cancer; actinin-4; biomarker; prognosis; transbronchial biopsy