Prognostic significance of β2-adrenergic receptor expression in non-small cell lung cancer

The β2-Adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) is associated with tumor growth and progression. However, the clinical significance of β2-AR expression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear.

Three hundred twenty-eight patients with surgically resected NSCLC were retrospectively investigated. Tumor sections were stained by immunohistochemistry for assessing β2-AR and Ki-67 expression and microvessel density (MVD), which was using CD34 levels.

β2-AR was positively expressed in 27% of all patients, in 29% of adenocarcinoma (AC) patients, and in 24% of non-AC patients. In AC patients, β2-AR expression was significantly correlated with lymphatic permeation (r=0.240; P<0.001), vascular invasion (r=0.239; P<0.001), and Ki-67 expression (r=0.175; P=0.009). However, this correlation was not observed in non-AC patients. Positive β2-AR expression was identified as a negative predictor for worse outcomes in AC patients, particularly in those with stage I tumors. Multivariate analysis confirmed that β2-AR expression was an independent factor for predicting poor progression-free survival in stage I AC patients (HR=2.220; 95% CI, 1.077-4.573; P=0.031).

β2-AR expression is an independent prognostic factor for early-stage AC patients.