title: Clinical implications of transforming growth factor-beta-induced gene-h3 protein expression in lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The clinical implications of transforming growth factor-beta-induced gene-h3 (beta-IGH3) protein expression in lung cancer remain unclear. This study investigated beta-IGH3 protein expression levels and biological function, as well as lung cancer prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Beta-IGH3 protein expression levels were measured in 236 lung cancers and were matched with adjacent noncancerous tissues by immunohistochemical staining. Subsequently, the relationship between beta-IGH3 protein expression, clinical-pathological parameters, and lung cancer prognosis was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Beta-IGH3 protein expression was significantly higher in lung cancer tissues compared with adjacent noncancerous tissues (61.86% vs 22.88%; P=0.01). Of the 236 enrolled cases, 146 (61.86%) showed high beta-IGH3 levels. Tumor size, clinical stage, and lymph node metastasis were significantly related to beta-IGH3 protein expression in univariate analysis (P=0.001, 0.044, and 0.029, respectively), whereas age, sex, and histological type were not (P=0.038, 0.756, and 0.889, respectively). Finally, a Cox regression model also identified beta-IGH3 as an independent prognostic factor (P=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Beta-IGH3 is highly expressed in lung cancers and may be a potential target for lung cancer treatments.
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of the Harbin Medical University.
authors: Changjun
authors: C
authors: He
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of the Harbin Medical University.
authors: Dawei
authors: D
authors: Sun
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of the Harbin Medical University.
authors: Xue
authors: X
authors: Bai
authors: Department of Pain Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
authors: Yingbin
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of the Harbin Medical University.
authors: Hai
authors: H
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of the Harbin Medical University.
authors: Shidong
authors: S
authors: Xu
keywords: beta-IGH3 protein; lung cancer; lymph node; metastasis; prognosis