P-STAT3 and IL-17 in tumor tissues enhances the prognostic value of CEA and CA125 in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

AIM

The present study aimed to examine the capability of p- signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3 and interleukin-17 (IL-17), along with two known tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), for disease prognosis. Moreover, the associations among biomarkers and clinicopathological parameters were evaluated to uncover the potential mechanisms responsible for their correlations with lung adenocarcinoma (LAD) prognosis.

METHODS

Five LAD-related parameters were used in the study: CEA, CA125, STAT3, p-STAT3, and IL-17. Spearman and chi-square correlation tests were used to explore the relationships between some clinicopathological variables and parameter expression levels and the associations among these five parameters.

RESULTS

The disease-specific survival decreased with the positive expression of CEA, CA125, p-STAT3, and IL-17, with no significant difference in the expression level of STAT3. Combinations of p-STAT3 and IL-17, CEA and p-STAT3, CEA and IL-17, CA125 and p-STAT3, and CA125 and IL-17 had higher predictive values in LAD prognosis. The correlation analyses indicated the synergic activities of STAT3, p-STAT3, and IL-17 and the coordinated expression of CEA, CA125, p-STAT3, and IL-17. The tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage significantly correlated with the levels of CA125 and p-STAT3.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated levels of CEA, CA125, p-STAT3, and IL-17 alone and/or combinations of p-STAT3 and IL-17, CEA and p-STAT3, CEA and IL-17, CA125 and p-STAT3, and CA125 and IL-17 were recommended as the prognostic predictors of unfavorable clinical outcomes in patients with postoperative LAD. Also, p-STAT3 and IL-17 combined with CA125 and CEA helped in predicting the overall survival of patients with LAD and informing the TNM stage.