Blood vessel invasion and expression of sialyl Lewisx and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in stage I non-small cell lung cancer. Relation to postoperative recurrence.

BACKGROUND

Recurrence in Stage I non-small cell lung cancer was examined with respect to vascular invasion and the immunohistochemical expression of sialyl-dimeric Lewisx (SLX) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA).

METHODS

One hundred twenty-eight patients with Stage I non-small cell lung cancer who had a curative resection were the subjects of this study. Using tumor tissues fixed in formaldehyde solution, blood vessel invasion (BVI) and lymphatic invasion stained with Victoria blue-hematoxylin and eosin and the immunohistochemical expression of SLX and PCNA were retrospectively studied with respect to postoperative recurrence.

RESULTS

By univariate analysis, BVI and SLX and PCNA expression were significantly important factors of disease-free survival (P < 0.01). The disease-free survival of the patients with both BVI and SLX expression was significantly shorter than that of the patients with BVI but negative SLX expression (P < 0.02). In 35 patients with recurrence, tumors with PCNA expression showed a significantly shorter time to recurrence compared with tumors without PCNA expression (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

BVI and SLX expression may be important determinants of recurrence. PCNA may be a determinant of time to recurrence.