BACKGROUNDTo study the expression and clinicopathological significance of CD44V6 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSCD44V6 expression in lung cancer tissues was detected in 90 patients with lung cancer by immunohistohemistry SABC method.

RESULTSThe positive rate of CD44V6 expression in NSCLC was 51.1% (46/90), which was related to TNM stage, but not to cell differention, age and sex of the patients (P > 0.05). The positive rate of CD44V6 expression was 32.2% (10/31) in stage I+II patients and 61.0% (36/59) in stage III+IV disease. A highly significant difference was existed between the two groups (P < 0.01). The positive rate of CD44V6 expression was significantly higher in NSCLC with lymph node metastasis (61.0%, 36/59) than that without lymph node metastasis (32.2%, 10/31) (P < 0.01). The 3-year survival rate (65.5%, 19/29) in patients with low CD44V6 expression was significantly higher than that (35.0%, 7/20) with high CD44V6 expression (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSOverexpression of CD44V6 may be involved in the progression and metastasis of the cancer and prognosis of the patients with lung cancer. It might be helpful to evaluate the progression of the cancer, and to predict the metastasis and progression of lung cancer.