Expression and clinical significance of CD44 and nm23-H1proteins in non-small cell lung cancer

Objective: To study the expressions of CD44 and nm23-H1 proteins and their clinical significance in non-small cell lung cancer.Methods: Immunohistochemical technique was used to examine the expressions of CD44 and nm23-H1 proteins in 42 non-small cell lung cancer,21 surrounding normal lung tissues and 12 tissues of benign lung disease.Results: The expressions of CD44 proteins in non-small cell lung cancer were much higher than that in benign lung disease and the expressions of the nm23-H1 were markedly lower in the same cases(both P0.01).The expressions of CD44 proteins in lung cancer tissues with metastatic lymph node was significantly higher than that in lung cancer without metastatic lymph node(χ2=4.921,P=0.027),but nm23-H1 protein expression was lower(χ2=4.805,P=0.028).Therefore,the expression of CD44 protein was positively correlated with the metastasis,clinical staging.While the expression of nm23-H1protein was negatively correlated with lymph node metastasis and clinical staging of lung cancer.Neither was correlated with tumor differential degree.Conclusions: CD44 and nm23-H1 gene proteins might play an important coordinated regular role in the carcinogenesis,development and metastasis of lung cancer and would be the key biological marks in judging and evaluating the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer.