Expression of heat shock proteins 70 in lung cancer

OBJECTIVE:To discuss expression of HSP70 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and its pathological significance. METHODS: Immunohistochemical study on the expression of HSP70 in NSCLC tissues was performed, and the correlation between the expression of HSP in the NSCLC tissues and cell types, differentiation, as well as clinical stages of NSCLC were investigaled. RESULTS: The expression of HSP70 cases were positive in 37 cases of NSCLC, which was markedly increased compared with the control. In 26 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, the expression of HSP70 cases were positive in 20 cases, while 17 cases were positive in 21 cases of adenocarcinoma. P0.05; In 16 cases of highly differentiaed carcinoma, the expression of HSP70 was positive in 10 cases, while 27 cases were positive in 31 cases of middle and low differential type. (P0.05). Meanwhile, in 20 cases of Stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ carcinoma, the expression of HSP70 was positive in 13 cases, and 24 cases were positive in 27 cases of Stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ. P0.05; In 30 cases of NSCLC with lymph node metastasis,the expression of HSP70 was positive in 27 cases, while 10 cases were positive in 17 cases without lymph node metastasis, P0.05. The expression of HSP70 was markedly increased in tumor tissues, and was also significantly related to the NSCLC clinical staging, but it is not related to the cell types of NSCLC. CONSLUSION: HSP70 might be a usetul marker of the biological behavior in NSCLC.