Expression of CD44v3 and CD44v6 in patients with non small cell lung cancer and its relationship with lymph node metastasis / 第三军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

objective　To study the expression of CD44v3 and CD44v6 and its relationship with lymph node metastasis in non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods　Specimens (lung tissues) from 52 c ases of NSCLS and 12 normal lung tissue were used to detect the expression of CD 44v3 and CD44v6 by immunohistochemical method (SP method) and flow cytometry, co rrelation was analysed between the expression of CD44v3 or CD44v6 a nd lymph node metastasis of the lung cancer. Results　CD44v3 and CD44v6 were not, or weakly expressed in all normal lung tissues from 12 cases. In contrast, the expression levels of CD44v3 and CD44v6 were obviously higher in lung cancer than that in normal tissue(P<0.05). The expression of CD44v 3 and CD44v6 were much higher in patients with lymph node metastasis than those without lymph node metastasis(P<0.05). Conclusion　① CD44v3 and CD44v6 are expressed with different degree in NSCLC. ②There is a close rel ationship between high expression of CD44v6 and lymph node metastasis, and CD44v 6 may be a co-marker for predicting the potentiality of lymph node metastasis i n lung cancer.