[A study on the correlation between P-selectin and lung cancer.].

BACKGROUND: To investigate the role of P-selectin in metastasis of lung cancer. METHODS: Expression of P-selectin were examined in 48 primary lung cancer specimens by the microware enhanced immunohistochemical staining method (SP) using a rat monoclonal antibody against human P-selectin , with 18 cases of adjacent non-cancerous tissue as control. RESULTS: The positive rate of P-selectin expression in adenocarcinoma was significantly higher than those of squamous cell carcinoma and adjacent non-cancerous tissues ( P < 0. 01) . In adenocarcinoma , the expression of P-selectin in stage III and IV was significantly higher than that of stage I and II ( P < 0. 01) .But there were no significant correlation between the expression of P-selectin and differentiation grade of tumor , lymph node metastasis , size of the primary tumor. CONCLUSIONS: P-selectin might be associated with vascular metastasis in adenocarcinoma.