Molecular Diagnostics

British Journal of Cancer (2008) 99, 1476–1483. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6604713 www.bjcancer.com
Published online 14 October 2008

The prognostic impact of NF-kappaB p105, vimentin, E-cadherin and Par6 expression in epithelial and stromal compartment in non-small-cell lung cancer

S Al-Saad1,2, K Al-Shibli1,3, T Donnem4,5, M Persson2, R M Bremnes4,5 and L-T Busund1,2

  1. 1Institute of Medical Biology, University of Tromso-Norway, Tromso, Norway
  2. 2Department of Pathology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromso, Norway
  3. 3Department of Pathology, Nordland Central Hospital, Bodo-Norway, Norway
  4. 4Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromso-Norway, Tromso, Norway
  5. 5Department of Oncology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromso, Norway

Correspondence: Dr S Al-Saad, Department of Pathology, University Hospital of North Norway, PO box 46 UNN, Tromso 9038, Norway. E-mail: samer.al-saad@unn.no

Received 3 July 2008; Revised 15 September 2008; Accepted 16 September 2008; Published online 14 October 2008.

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Abstract

Vimentin, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) p105, fascin, E-cadherin, TGF-beta, Par6 and atypical PKC are molecular markers that play an important role in cell differentiation. Herein, we investigate their prognostic impact in primary non-small-cell carcinoma (NSCLC). Tumour tissue samples from 335 resected patients with stage I–IIIA were used. Tissue microarrays were constructed from duplicate cores of both neoplastic cells and stromal cells and were immunohistochemically evaluated. In univariate analyses, high tumour epithelial cell expressions of NF-kappaB p105 (P=0.02) and E-cadherin (P=0.03) were positive prognostic indicators for disease-specific survival (DSS), whereas high tumour epithelial cell expression of vimentin (P=0.001) was a negative prognostic indicator. High expression of NF-kappaB p105 (P=0.001) and Par6 (P=0.0001) in the stromal compartment correlated with a good prognosis. In multivariate analyses, the tumour epithelial cell expression of NF-kappaB p105 (P=0.0001) and vimentin (P=0.005) and the stromal cell expression of NF-kappaB p105 (P=0.007) and Par6 (P=0.0001) were independent prognostic factors for DSS. High expression of NF-kappaB p105 and low expression of vimentin in tumour epithelial cells are independent predictors of better survival in primary NSCLC. In stromal cells, high expressions of NF-kappaB p105 and Par6 are both favourable independent prognostic indicators.

Keywords:

NSCLC, vimentin, par6, epithelial, stromal, disease-specific survival