Expression of heparanase in human non-small cell lung cancer / 中国肺癌杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To study the relationship between human heparanase expression and biological factors regarding invasion, metastasis and prognosis of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of heparanase was assessed in 122 paraffin-embedded specimens and 38 freshly-taken tissues by immunohistochemical staining and Western blot. The relationship between heparanase expression and the clinicopathological factors was analyzed by Chi square test, multivariate analysis and Kaplan-Meier method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the immunoreactive cells, staining was mainly located in cytoplasma and membrane. Human heparanase was highly expressed in lung cancer tissues (78.7%, 96/122) while negative in epithelia of normal lung tissues. The level of heparanase was remarkably higher in NSCLC than that in normal tissues ( P = 0.043 ). Expression of heparanase significantly correlated with TNM stage ( P =0.025), lymphatic metastasis ( P =0.002) and vascular invasion ( P =0.000 3). The patients with positive heparanase expression had a significantly shorter survival than those with negative heparanase expression ( P =0.000 6). In multivariate analysis, only p-TNM stage, lymphatic metastasis and vascular invasion could be considered as prognostic factors.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Heparanase might play an important role in the development, invasion and metastasis of NSCLC. It is indicated that patients with positive heparanase expression would have a greater chance of metastasis and a poorer prognosis. However, heparanase expression is not an independent prognostic factor.</p>