Background: RRM1 may be a prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study is to evaluate RRM1 expression and prognosis in NSCLC by the means of tissue microarray.
Methods: A total of 417 paraffin-embedded specimens of NSCLC from Lung Cancer Study Center in Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital were collected and tissue microarray was constructed. RRM1 expression was detected by SP method and its correlation with prognosis was evaluated.
Results: No statistic difference was found in RRM1 expression in different gender, age, tumor site, histology, differentiation, T stage, N stage, M stage and pTNM stage groups (P > 0.05). Univariate analysis showed that RRM1 was not an independent prognostic factor (P > 0.05). At the multivariate analysis, differentiation and N stage were considered independent prognostic factors.
Conclusions: RRM1 expression detected by immunohistology is not an independent prognostic factor in NSCLC. TNM stage is still the best prognostic factor up to now.