Expression of p53 and nm23 Proteins in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

ABSTRACT

To elucidate the role of p53 and nm23 in the development, progression, and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer, we studied 91 paraffin sections of the primary non-small-cell lung cancers and the 34 paraffin sections of their metastatic lymph nodes using the immunohistochemical method. The results are as follows 1) The incidence of p53 protein expression was positively correlated with the staging of lung cancers (p<0.025). 2) The incidence of p53 protein expression was higher in the lung cancers with lymph node metastasis than in those without lymph node metastasis (p=0.009). 3) The incidence of nm23 protein expression was lower in the adenocacinomas than in the squamous cell carcinomas (p=0.032). 4) The incidence of nm23 protein expression was lower in the lung cancers with lymph node metastasis than in those without lymph node metastasis (p=0.026). The expression of nm23 protein between the primary lung cancers and corresponding metastatic lymph nodes showed positive correlation (Kendall's Tau-b correlation coefficient=0.47140, p=0.0068). 5) The expression of p53 was not correlated with the expression of nm23 protein (Kendall's Tau-b correlation coefficient=0.11387, p=0.2800). The above results suggest that an overexpression of p53 protein and a downregulation of nm23 protein are associated with tumor progression and metastasis in non-small-cell lung cancer.