Objective: The expressions of minichromosome maintenance protein 2 (MCM2), Ki-67, and p53 were examined to analyze their pathobiological significance in human lung adenocarcinomas.
Methods: We performed Western blot analysis in six human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines and immunohistochemistry in 145 surgically removed adenocarcinomas to examine the MCM2 expression. Labeling indices (LIs; %) of MCM2, Ki-67, and p53 in the tumor cells were compared with clinicopathological profiles and overall survival rates.
Results: MCM2 protein was detected in all cell lines examined, with specific bands. MCM2 LIs were significantly correlated with sex, histological type, differentiation, pathological stage, and LIs of Ki-67 and p53 (p < 0.05). Significantly higher LIs of MCM2 and Ki-67 were noted in the 122 non-pure bronchioloalveolar carcinomas than in the 23 pure bronchioloalveolar carcinomas (p < 0.01), and the prognosis was poorer in the former than in the latter (p < 0.01). Sex, pathological stage, and high LIs of MCM2 and/or Ki-67 were independent prognostic factors (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: High LIs of MCM2 and/or Ki-67 suggest a poor prognosis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma (non-pure bronchioloalveolar carcinoma).
Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel