ISSN:
1365-2559
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Aim : Lung cancer is still a disease of high mortality, despite advanced diagnostic techniques. Here, we aim to report a unique method to predict the recurrence and outcome of patients with pulmonary adenocarcinomas.Methods and results : Immunohistochemical expression of MUC1 mucin and surfactant apoprotein A (SP-A) was examined in 185 cases of surgically removed lung adenocarcinomas of non-bronchioloalveolar type smaller than 30 mm. Staining results were evaluated semiquantitatively, and the expression of MUC1 and SP-A was compared in each case. There were 140/185 (76%) cases showing MUC1 expression higher than SP-A expression (MUC1〉SP-A), and 45/185 (24%) cases showing MUC1 expression lower than or equal to SP-A expression (MUC1≤SP-A). Recurrence was observed in 24% (34/140) of the patients with a MUC1〉SP-A pattern, but in 7% (3/45) of the patients with a MUC1≤SP-A pattern after the median observation period of 41 months (1–99 months) (P 〈 0.01). The MUC1〉SP-A group showed higher recurrence and worse survival than the MUC1≤SP-A group by Kaplan–Meier's method (P 〈 0.01 and P 〈 0.005). Even in the patients with apparently favourable prognostic factors (well-differentiated adenocarcinoma or no lymph node metastasis), recurrence and survival were different between the two groups.Conclusions : A high MUC1/SP-A ratio is strongly associated with a poor outcome in patients with small-size lung adenocarcinoma.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2559.2004.01797.x
