Clinical significance and expression of mutated K - ras protein in non - small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Objective To investigate the clinical significance and the expression of mutated K - ras in non - small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods Immunohistochemical method was used to examine K - ras protein expression of the sections from 56 cases of NSCLC and 45 normal lung tissues (NL). Results The positive rate of K - ras expression in squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma and large cell carcinoma was 26. 67% (8/30), 53.33% (8/15), 16.67% (1/6) ,20.00% (1/5) respectively. The positive rate of adenocarcinoma was significantly higher than that of normal lung tissue and squamous cell carcinoma(P < 0.05). Besides, expression area of K - ras was often in the cytoplasma for squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. The expression of K - ras gene was not related to differentiation, but the expression of K - ras gene was related to pathological type, smoking, stage and lymph nodes metastasis. Condusions The results suggest that overexpression of K - ras involve in genesis and development of non - small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Detection of K - ras protein can be used as a prognostic factor for the patients. Key words: Non -small cell lung cancer; Protein K- ras; Immunohistochemistry