Expressions of MT and PCNA in non-small cell lung carcinoma

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the expressions of metallothionein (MT) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in non-small cell lung carcinoma. METHODS: The expressions of MT and PCNA were observed by immunohistochemical methods in 62 cases of non-small cell lung carcinoma and 15 cases of non-lung cancer tissue. RESULTS: The positive rates for MT and PCNA in NSCLC were 53.2%(33/62)and 79.0%(49/62) respectively which were significantly higher than these in non-lung cancer tissue, 20.0%(3/15)and 46.7%(7/15), P0.05. There was no significant difference between the expressions of MT and PCNA in lung squamous cell carcinoma 50.0%(19/38)and 76.3%(29/38)and lung adenocarcinoma 58.3%(14/24) and 83.3(20/24). The positive rates of MT and PCNA were correlated with histological grades and lymph node metastasis. The differences were significant, P0.05. The positive rates between MT and PCNA were associated, P=0.004. CONCLUSIONS: MT over expression may be a biological marker in non-small cell lung carcinoma. It was associated with the expression of PCNA. The levels of MT and PCNA were useful molecular markers for evaluating malignancy degree and lymph node metastasis of NSCLC.