Expression of c-Met and c-Src in non-small cell lung cancer and its relationship with prognosis

Abstract

Objective To explore the expressions of c-Met and c-Src in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and its relationship with clinical pathological characters and prognosis. Methods The c-Met and c-Src expressions were detected by immunohistochemistry in 88 patients with NSCLC from April 2011 to January 2013. The relationship between the expressions of c-Met and c-Src and clinical pathological features and prognosis were analyzed. Results The c-Met and c-Src were all significantly expressed in NSCLC tissues, and no expression showed in interstitial and normal lung tissues. The expressions of c-Met and c-Src in patients with NSCLC were associated with sex, differentiation, pathology type, T staging and TNM staging (P 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis result showed that the expressions of c-Met and c-Src in lung cancer tissues was positive correlation (r = 0.662, P < 0.01). Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis result showed that the disease free survival time (DFS) and overall survival time (OS) in c-Met high expression patients (51 cases) were significantly shorter than those in c-Met low expression patients (37 cases): (18.08 ± 1.34) months vs. (23.76 ± 1.79) months and (33.63 ± 1.95) months vs. (42.24 ± 2.68) months, the DFS and OS in c-Src high expression patients (25 cases) were significantly shorter than those in c-Src low expression patients (63 cases): (16.96 ± 2.56) months vs. (21.86 ± 1.15) months and (27.84 ± 2.89) months vs. (40.98 ± 1.81) months, the DFS and OS in both c-Met and c-Src high expression patients (25 cases) were significantly shorter than those in both c-Met and c-Src low expression patients (37 cases): (16.96 ± 2.56) months vs. (23.76 ± 1.79) months and (27.84 ± 2.89) months vs. (42.24 ± 2.68) months, and there were statistical differences (P<0.05). Cox multiplicity result showed that T staging (RR = 2.174, 95% CI 1.354 to 3.490, P = 0.001) and high expressions of c-Met and c-Src (RR =1.447, 95% CI 1.114 to 1.880, P = 0.006) were the independent risk factors of DFS in patients with NSCLC; pathology type (RR = 0.610, 95% CI 0.377 to 0.986, P = 0.044), T staging (RR = 2.215, 95% CI 1.357 to 3.616, P = 0.001) and high expressions of c-Met and c-Src (RR=1.979, 95% CI 1.455 to 2.692, P = 0.000) were the independent risk factors of OS in patients with NSCLC. Conclusions The c-Met and c-Src are involved in the development of NSCLC and affect the prognosis of patients with NSCLC. Key words: Carcinoma, non-small-cell lung; Proto-oncogene proteins c-met; Proto-oncogene proteins pp60 (c-src); Prognosis