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.