Objective: To assess the relationship between expression of peripheral blood CD44 and CD54 in lymphocyte with non-small cell lung cancer and clinicopathological features.
Methods: Peripheral blood CD44 contents in 50 patients with lung cancer were detected by flow-cytometry, 30 normal donors and 25 patients with benign lesions served as controls.
Results: Peripheral blood CD44 and CD54 in lymphocyte with lung cancer were significantly higher than those in benign lesions and normal controls (P < 0.01). There is no distinct difference between CD44 and CD54 in benign lesions and normal controls (P > 0.05). Lung cancer with lymph node metastasis showed higher expression of CD44 and CD54 than lung cancer without lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01). Distinctly statistic difference was showed between CD44 in stage III, IV and stage I, II (P < 0.01). CD54 content in stage IV was higher than that in stage I, II and III, respectively. Histopathological grade was significantly associated with the expression of CD44 and CD54. Peripheral blood CD44 and CD54 contents were not related with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.
Conclusion: Detection of CD44 and CD54 levels by flow cytometry might be used as a marker to evaluate prognosis and metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.