Associations between clinical characteristics and oncogene expression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

More than 40 oncogenes associated with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been identified with varied gene expression. The correlations between specific clinical characteristics and oncogene expression in NSCLC patients were examined. From October 2011 to September 2012, a total of 60 patients with NSCLC (male:female, 34:24; mean age, 59.5 ± 10.6 years; age range, 31-81 years) were diagnosed and evaluated for treatment with radical resection at a single facility. Eligible patients exhibiting tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage I-III NSCLC confirmed by post-surgical pathology were included. mRNA expression was detected by branched DNA-liquidchip technology (bDNA-LCT) and mutations were detected at EGFR exons 18, 19, 20, and 21, KRAS exons 2 and 3, BRAF and PIK3CA exons 9 and 20. Correlations between gene expression at mutations and clinical characteristics of gender, age, histological type, degree of differentiation, smoking status, immunohistochemical (IHC) evaluation of TTF-1, TNM staging, and discrete age ("nage") were examined. Significant associations were observed between IHC staining for TTF-1 and histological type (P = 0.00001) and with BRAC1, TYMS, RRM1, and TUBB3 expression (P = 0.0187, 0.0051, 0.024, and 0.0238, respectively). Significant cross-correlations were observed between TYMS, BRAC1, TOP2A, STMN1, TUBB3, and RRM1 expression (P < 0.05), but not between EGFR exon 21, KRAS exon 2, and PIK3CA exon 9 expression and any other mutation expression (P > 0.05). Relationships between clinical characteristics and oncogene expression in NSCLC, particularly those of TTF-1 level and smoking status, may be useful indicators of prognosis and development of anti-cancer drug resistance.