Prognostic significance of BZW2 expression in lung adenocarcinoma patients

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common pathologic subgroup of lung cancer. The role of basic leucine zipper and W2 domains 2 (BZW2) in tumorigenesis has been investigated, while the functions and molecular mechanisms of BZW2 in LUAD remain undetermined. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of BZW2 in LUAD tumorigenesis and prognostic prediction. LUAD patients who underwent complete resection with tumor available for histologic evaluation were collected, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed and scored for intensity of BZW2 expression. Overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) were estimated and compared between groups. Hazard ratios (HRs) for death were estimated using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. BZW2 was considerably raised in the archival tissue samples from LUAD patients relative to those in healthy controls. High BZW2 expression was associated with unfavorable OS and DFS in LUAD patients. Coincidently, the up-regulated BZW2 was related to tumorigenesis, including tumor size, stage, and lymphatic invasion. In addition, we also found a positive correlation between BZW2 and EIF5 expression. BZW2 may be a clinical molecular biomarker for the prognosis of LUAD patients.