Expression and Clinical Relevance of uPA and ET-1 in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Background and objective uPA and ET-1 proteins have been reported to be up-regulated in some of human cancers. The aim of this study is to investigate the alteration and clinical relevance of uPA and ET-1 protein levels in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods Expressions of uPA and ET-1 protein were detected in 155 cases of NSCLC with tissue microarrays and immunohistochemistry (TMA-IHC) technique. The correlations between the alteration of the two proteins and clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. Results Negative/weak, moderate and high expression of uPA were observed in 12.3%, 64.4% and 23.3% of squamous cell carcinomas, in 12.2%, 53.7% and 34.1% of adenocarcinomas, and in 12.3%, 58.7% and 29.0% of all cases. ET-1 presented negative/weak, moderate and high expression in 2.7%, 42.5% and 54.8% of squamous cell carcinomas, in 11.0%, 30.5% and 58.5% of adenocarcinomas, and in 7.1%, 36.1% and 56.8% of all cases. Simultaneously high expression of uPA and ET-1 were found in adenocarcinomas without lymph node metastasis (P=0.017). Adenocarcinoma patients with high expression of uPA or with high expression of both ET-1 and uPA had the longer survival time (P=0.007 and 0.016). Conclusion Detection of uPA and ET-1 protein levels might contribute to the prognosis evaluation of NSCLC