HER-2/neu oncogene and estrogen receptor expression in non small cell lung cancer patients

Non-small cell lung cancers are among the leading causes of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide. The prognosis is usually based on traditional pathohistological parameters and clinical stage, but additional prognostic survival factors have also been sought. The aim of this retrospective study was to explore the membranous expression of HER-2/neu and estrogen receptors in nonsmall cell lung cancers and their relation to survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancers and to traditional prognostic factors. The sample consisted of 132 consecutive, surgically resected patient tissues of non-small cell lung cancers, and the following parameters were examined: HER-2/neu and estrogen receptor expression, as well as the related clinical and pathological features: tumor, nodes, and metastases stage, level of tumor necrosis, histological and nuclear grade, lymphocytic infiltrate, and number of mitoses. HER-2/neu was positive in 28.8% of tumor samples, and estrogen receptor expression was positive in 29.5% of tumors, but neither was significantly associated with the outcome of non-small cell lung cancers. There was a significant association between HER-2/neu and nuclear grade (P=0.01). In addition, the association between estrogen receptor expression and histological type of tumor (P=0.04) and mitotic rate (P=0.008) was found. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a significant association of patients' overall survival with the tumor node metastasis stage (P<0.001) and the degree of tumor necrosis (P=0.02). Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed that male gender (P=0.01), histological type (P=0.03), high degree of necrosis (P=0.006), and higher histological grade (P=0.037) were associated with the patients' survival. Our findings indicate that the expression of HER-2/neu and estrogen receptor is less reliable than traditional histological parameters in predicting the survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancers.