Landscape of C-MET overexpression in non-small cell lung cancer: a large-scale study of clinicomolecular features and prognosis based on Chinese data.

BACKGROUND

Real-world data on C-MET protein overexpression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, particularly among the Asian Chinese population, are limited.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the clinicomolecular characteristics and prognosis of C-MET overexpression in Chinese NSCLC patients, focusing on those with positive C-MET overexpression (immunohistochemistry (IHC) 3+).

DESIGN

A retrospective and observational study.

METHODS

Data were collected from NSCLC patients diagnosed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University between November 2006 and April 2021. We identified C-MET overexpression using IHC and C-MET overexpression positivity was defined as IHC 3+ with ⩾50% tumor cells. Additionally, patient genotypes were collected for subgroup analysis.

RESULTS

Data from 9785 NSCLC patients were collected. C-MET (-) accounted for 5% (503/9785), C-MET (+) for 27% (2654/9785), C-MET (++) for 36% (3464/9785), and C-MET (+++) for 32% (3164/9785). Genetic testing was available for 4326 patients. Wild-type was observed in 37% (1591 cases), with epidermal growth factor receptor () abnormalities being the most common at 49% (2127 cases). Positive C-MET overexpression correlated significantly with women ( < 0.001), early-stage ( = 0.003), adenocarcinoma ( < 0.001), and driver mutations ( < 0.001). Patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase () alterations had a higher occurrence of C-MET overexpression positivity (57.1%). Positive C-MET overexpression was significantly associated with ( < 0.001), ( < 0.001), and alterations ( = 0.024). Compared to C-MET overexpression (IHC 0), C-MET overexpression (IHC 2+) (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.455,  < 0.001) and C-MET overexpression (IHC 3+) (HR = 0.569,  < 0.001) were correlated with better overall survival in overall NSCLC patients, especially for C-MET overexpression (IHC 2+).

CONCLUSION

Our study elucidates the clinicomolecular characteristics and prognosis of C-MET overexpression in NSCLC patients, particularly those with positive C-MET overexpression (IHC 3+). This provides insight into the prevalence of C-MET overexpression in Chinese NSCLC patients and offers a basis for considering C-MET overexpression as a prognostic and predictive marker in NSCLC.