Prognostic value of PAX8 in small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) shows poor prognosis since it metastasizes widely at early stage. Paired box gene (PAX) 8 is a transcriptional factor of PAX family, of which the expression in lung cancer is a controversial issue, and its prognostic value of PAX8 in SCLC is still unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Overall, 184 subjects who were pathologically diagnosed with SCLC were enrolled in the study. Immunohistochemical analysis of PAX8 and Ki-67 were performed. The correlations between PAX8 expression and clinical features or Ki-67 index were further analyzed. Subsequently, an analysis of the association between PAX8, stage, Ki-67 status, and overall survival (OS) were performed in 169 subjects with follow-up information.

RESULTS

PAX8 was positive in 53.8% (99/184) SCLC specimens. The positive rate is significantly higher in extensive-stage specimens (61.0%) than in limited-stage specimens (45.24%). PAX8 expression is positively correlated with Ki-67 index ( = 0.001) while negatively correlated with OS (HR = 3.725, 95% CI 1.943-7.139, ＜0.001). In combination groups, the PAX8 negative and limited stage group had the most promising OS.

CONCLUSION

PAX8 expression rate in SCLC specimens is not low. It has prognostic value in small cell lung cancer.