e22160 Background: Ephrin receptors (Ephs) are frequently overexpressed in a wide variety of human malignant tumors, being associated with tumor growth, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. The present study aimed toevaluate the clinical significance of Eph-A1, -A4, -A5 and -A7 protein expression in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Methods: Eph-A1, -A4, -A5 and -A7 protein expression was assessed immunohistochemically in tissue microarrays of 88 surgically resected NSCLC cases and was analyzed in relation with clinicopathological characteristics and patients’ survival. Results: Elevated Eph-A4 expression was significantly associated with earlier or lower stages and histopathological presence of inflammation (p=0.047 and p=0.026, respectively). Elevated Eph-A7 expression was significantly associated with patients’ age, presence of fibrosis and smaller tumor size (p=0.036, p=0.029 and p=0.018, respectively). NSCLC patients with elevatedEph-A4, -A5 or -A7 expression presented significantly longer overall survival times compared to those with reduced Eph-A4, -A5 or -A7 expression (log-rank test, 0=0.019, p=0.006 and p=0.012, respectively). Eph-A4, -A5 and -A7 expression were identified as independent prognostic factors of patients’ survival after adjustment for histopathological type and stage and performance status (Cox-regression analysis, p=0.022, p=0.033 and p=0.037, respectively). Conclusions: The present study supported evidence that Ephs may play a role in lung cancer progression, reinforcing their utility as clinical biomarkers for patients’ management and prognosis, as well as targets for potential therapeutic intervention in the future.
Genetic alterations and protein expression in combined small cell lung cancers and small cell lung cancers arising from lung adenocarcinomas after therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors
