Clinical Relevance of BACH1 Expression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Jing Liu1,2, Marc A Schneider3,4, Julia Held1,2
1Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
International Journal of Cancer
|July 27, 2026
Summary
BTB and CNC homolog 1 (BACH1) impacts non-small cell lung cancer progression. Lower BACH1 in tumors suggests it may predict chemotherapy response and resistance in lung adenocarcinoma patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- BTB and CNC homolog 1 (BACH1) is a transcription factor involved in cancer progression and therapy resistance.
- Its prognostic significance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prognostic and predictive value of BACH1 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC).
- To explore BACH1's role in cisplatin resistance in NSCLC.
Main Methods:
- Quantified BACH1 mRNA and protein in tumor and normal lung tissues.
- Correlated expression with clinicopathological parameters, chemotherapy, and disease-free survival (DFS).
- Assessed BACH1 in NSCLC cell lines, evaluated cisplatin sensitivity, and used BACH1 silencing to determine effects on chemoresistance, migration, and colony formation.
Main Results:
- BACH1 expression was lower in LUAD and LUSC than normal tissues but higher in stage III tumors and patients receiving chemotherapy.
- High BACH1 expression correlated with shorter DFS in LUAD, especially with adjuvant chemotherapy.
- BACH1 expression positively correlated with cisplatin resistance in NSCLC cell lines.
- BACH1 silencing increased cisplatin-induced apoptosis and reduced migration and colony formation.
Conclusions:
- BACH1 may serve as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in chemotherapy-treated LUAD.
- BACH1 plays a functional role in mediating cisplatin resistance in NSCLC.