Expression of prothymosin α in lung cancer is associated with squamous cell carcinoma and smoking

Kuo,Yu‑Hsuan; Shiau,Ai‑Li; Tung,Chao‑Ling; Su,Yu‑Chu; Li,Chien‑Feng; Su,Bing‑Hua; Tsao,Chao‑Jung; Wu,Chao‑Liang; Feng,Yin‑Hsun; Wu,Pensee

doi:10.3892/ol.2019.10248

Expression of prothymosin α in lung cancer is associated with squamous cell carcinoma and smoking

Authors:
- Yu‑Hsuan Kuo
- Ai‑Li Shiau
- Chao‑Ling Tung
- Yu‑Chu Su
- Chien‑Feng Li
- Bing‑Hua Su
- Chao‑Jung Tsao
- Chao‑Liang Wu
- Yin‑Hsun Feng
- Pensee Wu
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Affiliations: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chi‑Mei Medical Center, Tainan 71004, Taiwan, R.O.C., Department of Microbiology and Immunology, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan 70101, Taiwan, R.O.C., Department of Otolaryngology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Medical College, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan, R.O.C., Department of Pathology, Chi‑Mei Medical Center, Yong Kang, Tainan 71004, Taiwan, R.O.C., Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan 70101, Taiwan, R.O.C., Division of Hematology and Oncology, Chi‑Mei Medical Center, Tainan 73657, Taiwan, R.O.C., Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Imperial College London, London W12 ONN, UK
Published online on: April 12, 2019 https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2019.10248
Pages: 5740-5746

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Abstract

Prothymosin α (ProTα) is a nuclear protein that serves a role in oncogenesis, by promoting proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis in various malignancies. The present study was designed to investigate ProTα expression in resected human non‑small cell lung cancer to define the clinicopathological associations of ProTα‑positive lung cancer. Immunohistochemical staining of ProTα was performed using tumor sample slides from 149 patients with non‑small cell lung cancer, who underwent surgical resection. Association between the expression of ProTα and the following clinicopathological parameters was accessed: Age, sex, stage, lymph node involvement, pathological subtype, recurrence and cigarette smoking. A total of 85 tumors (57%) were classified as ProTα‑positive lung cancer by staining intensity and 73 tumors (49%) were regarded as ProTα‑positive by scoring index. The majority of patients with ProTα‑positive tumors were younger (P=0.05) and had squamous cell carcinoma (P<0.01) compared with older and adenocarcinoma. Positive expression of ProTα by staining intensity was associated with a higher incidence rate of cancer recurrence (P=0.05) compared with negative ProTα expression. ProTα was also associated with cigarette smoking, particularly in the group with squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, the present data suggested that ProTα‑positive non‑small cell lung cancer was associated with younger patients, squamous cell carcinoma, cigarette smoking and a higher incidence recurrence rate, subsequently indicating a subtype consisting of patients with smoking‑associated inferior outcomes.

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