BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEIt has been known that the expression levels of ERCC1 and GST-pi were correlated with tumorigenesis and prognosis. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between expression levels of ERCC1 and GST-pi, and clinicopathologic parameters and survival in patients with lung cancer.

METHODSThe expression levels of ERCC1 and GST-pi were detected by immunohistochemical staining on tissue micro-array sections made of 148 cases of lung cancer and 7 cases of normal lung samples. The results were compared with relevant clinical and pathologic data.

RESULTSPositive rates of ERCC1 and GST-pi were 36.2% and 73.6%, respectively. None of normal lung samples was positive staining. Positive expression of ERCC1 was significantly higher in group of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), highly differentiated and the smokers less than 400 (P < 0.05), positive expression of GST-pi was significantly higher in group of non-smokers and NSCLC (P < 0.05). There were significant correlations between expression of ERCC1 and GST-pi (r = 0.253, P = 0.001). The 5 years survival rate was higher in positive expression of ERCC1. There was significant correlations between expression of ERCC1 and survival (P = 0.037). There was no significant correlations between expression of GST-pi and survival (P = 0.614). Multivariate analysis using Cox regression model showed that expression levels of ERCC1 and GST-pi were not the important independent prognostic factors for survival.

CONCLUSIONERCC1 and GST-pi are aberrant highly expressed in NSCLC with positive correlation, which indicate they might act synergistically in tumorigenesis of NSCLC. The positive expression of ERCC1 have better survival and may have effect on prognosis.