Expression and significance of MET gene in non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Objective To detect the mRNA expression of mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) gene in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to investigate the relationship and clinical significance between the mRNA expression of MET gene and clinical pathological characteristics. Methods From June 2011 to November 2013, 48 patients with pathologically confirmed NSCLC in Chinese People′s Liberation Army General Hospital were selected. All patients included in the study were not treated before surgery. The branched DNA liquid chip technology was used to detect mRNA expression of MET gene in tumor tissues. The relationship between mRNA expression of MET gene and clinical pathological characteristics was analyzed. Results The constituent ratios of low, moderate and high mRNA expression level of MET gene were 22.9%, 50.0% and 27.1% respectively, mainly for the moderate expression. The mRNA expression of MET gene was related to the pathologic type (χ2=7.183, P=0.020) and TNM stage (χ2=24.566, P=0.017) of the patients; but it was not related to the gender (χ2=0.566, P=0.754), age (χ2=1.857, P=0.395), smoking history (χ2=4.959, P=0.084), degrees of differentiation (χ2=5.749, P=0.067), lymph node metastasis (χ2=1.631, P=0.442) and distant metastasis (χ2=4.261, P=0.119). Conclusion mRNA expression of MET gene is more likely to present moderate and higher level in NSCLC patients. MET gene can also be used as a biomarker for judging tumor pathological type. Key words: Carcinoma, non-small-cell lung; RNA, messenger; Mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor