ABSTRACT
Objective To study the expression and prognostic significance of neuroendocrine differentiation markers chromogranin A(CgA)and synaptophysin(SYN) in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Methods From January 2000 to January 2003,123 patients with NSCLC who received operations were investigated.The resected specimens and clinical data were collected.Immunohistochemical Elivison method was used to detecte the expression of CgA and SYN.Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox proportional hazard model multivariate analysis were applied for the prognostic factors. Results The positive expression rates of CgA and SYN were 22%,17.9%,respectively.The expression of SYN was associated with histological differentiation(P=0.001).No significant association was found between NSCLC with neuroendocrine differentiation(NSCLC-ND) and sex,age,smoke index,TNM Stage and pathology classification.No evidence showed the patients with positive expression of CgA or SYN could be tolerant with more cycles of chemotherapy(P=0.406).Kaplan-Meier survival curve indicated the survival had a relation with the expression of CgA and SYN.It was revealed by Cox analysis that SYN(P=0.001),TNM stage(P=0.02)and the maximal diameter of tumor(P=0.049) were independent prognostic factors. Conclusion The patients with NSCLC-ND had a poorer prognosis.SYN may be one of the prognostic factors in patients with NSCLC.