Background: To study the role of nm23-H1 and CD44v6 gene in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Methods: Expressions of nm23-H1 and CD44v6 genes were analyzed in 147 cases of NSCLC by SP immunohistochemistry method.
Results: The overall positive rate of nm23-H1 staining was 62.6% (92/147). Significant differences in the positive rate of nm23-H1 were found between well and poor differentiated groups [68.6% (83/121) [WTBX]vs 34.6% (9/26)], and between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma , and between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma [78.8% (52/66) [WTBX]vs 50.8% (32/63) ] ( (P < 0.05), but not between stage I+II and stage III+IV [ 65.3% (62/95) [WTBX]vs 57.7% (30/52) ], and between N0 and N1-3 , and between N0 and N1 3 [64.7% (55/85) [WTBX]vs 59.7% (37/62) ]( ( P > 0.05). The positive rate of nm23-H1 of patients who survived for more than 3 years was 71.4% (55/77), which was significantly higher than 52.9% (37/70) of patients who survived for less than 3 years (Chi-square=5.4, P < 0.05). For CD44v6, the overall positive rate was 63.9% (94/147). Significant differences in the positive rate of CD44v6 were found between well and poor differentiated groups [68.6% (83/121) [WTBX]vs 42.3% (11/26)], and between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma , and between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma [53.0% (35/66) [WTBX]vs 77.8% (49/63) ] ( (P < 0.05), but not between stage I+II and stage III+IV [ 66.3% (63/95) [WTBX]vs 59.6% (31/52) ], and between N0 and N1-3 , and between N0 and N1 3 [63.5% (54/85) [WTBX]vs 64.5% (40/62) ]((P > 0.05). The positive rate of CD44v6 of patients who survived for more than 3 years was much lower than that of patients who survived for less than 3 years (43/74 vs 51/70, P < 0.01 ). The 3-year survival rate in patients with nm23-H1(+)CD4v6(-) was significantly higher than those with nm23-H1(-)CV44v6(+) (22/32 vs 11/34, P < 0.01).
Conclusions: There are some relationships among expressions of nm23-H1 and CD44v6 in NSCLC and cell differentiation, histological classification and prognosis, and no relation in stage and lymph node metastasis.