ABSTRACT
Purpose: Dysregulated expression of microRNA (miRNAs) in lung cancer has been wildly reported. The clinicopathologic significance of miR-9-5p in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and its effect on NSCLC progression were explored in this study. Patients and methods: A total of 76 NSCLC patients were included. miR-9-5p expression was evaluated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Then, in vitro experiments including cell growth curve assays, colony formation assays, and transwell migration assays were performed. Further clinicopathological and prognostic values were explored using bioinformatics analysis of the TCGA database. Results: miR-9-5p expression was significantly increased in tumor tissues (both P < 0.0001). miR-9-5p expression was relatively higher in larger tumors (P = 0.0327) and in lung squamous carcinoma (LUSC) (P = 0. 0143). In addition, miR-9-5p was significantly upregulated in the normal lung tissues of cigarette smokers (P = 0.0099). In vitro, miR-9-5p was correlated with cell proliferation and migration. After that, bioinformatics analysis of the TCGA database indicated that miR-9-5p was correlated with tumor size (P = 0.0022), lymphatic metastasis (P = 0.0141), LUSC (P < 0.0001), and smoking history (P < 0.0001). Finally, a prognostic study indicated high miR-9-5p expression was correlated with poor prognosis in LUAD (P = 0.0121). Conclusion: Upregulation of miR-9-5p may have an oncogenic effect in NSCLC and may be related to smoking. The conclusion of this study may help find new prognostic and therapeutic targets for NSCLC and the exploration of the relationship between smoking and lung cancer.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a frequently occurring cancer with poor prognosis despite combined therapeutic strategies. The aim of the current study was to elucidate a further finding on the clinicopathologic significance of immunohistochemical expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in Chinese patients with ESCC. METHODS: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded surgically resected tumor samples were obtained from 140 randomly selected Chinese patients with ESCC. Sections were immunohistochemically stained for COX-2, VEGF, and EGFR. The correlations between clinicopathological features and the high expression of COX-2, VEGF, and EGFR were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 19.0 software (IBM Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: In the present study, high expression of COX-2, EGFR, and VEGF was found in 64.3%, 62.1%, and 65.0%, respectively. Results showed that COX-2 overexpression was significantly correlated with degree of differentiation (P = 0.000), and lymph node metastasis (negative/positive, P = 0.002). EGFR and VEGF overexpression was significantly correlated with a differentiated degree, T stage, N stage, and tumor, node, metastases stage. CONCLUSION: High expression of COX-2, EGFR, and VEGF is an unfavorable prognostic factor in ESCC, and could be used as a poor prognosis indicator for the ESCC patients. Targeting therapy to these three targets should be considered to the combined treatment in ESCC.
