| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 臨床醫學研究所 === 104 === RATIONALE: Notch signaling has been demonstrated to frequently participate in the process of lung carcinogenesis. Thus it is important to understand the role of Notch expression in lung cancer development. This study aimed to search Notch expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its impact on survival.
METHODS: From 2001 to 2011, patients with diagnosis of NSCLC who received surgical resection were included. The expression of Notch pathway elements was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Clinical characteristics, histological types, disease stages, and outcomes were analyzed.
RESULTS: Ninety-seven patients with NSCLC being explored the expression of Notch gene (Notch 1 – 4, and Notch 2 N-terminal ligand). Fifty-eight patients (59.8%) were male. The mean age was 67.0 ± 11.1 years old. Seventy-five patients (77.3%) were adenocarcinoma, 19 patients (19.6%) were squamous cell carcinoma. Patients with adenocarcinoma had higher expression of Notch 2 and Notch 2 N-terminal ligand (NL) than other histology types (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). Otherwise, patients with squamous cell carcinoma had relative higher expression of Notch 1 and Notch 3 expression than other histology types (p = 0.014 and p = 0.032, respectively). Patients who had cancer recurrence also had higher Notch 2 expression (p = 0.008). Patients with adenocarcinoma who had higher Notch 1 or Notch 3 expression had poor progression-free survival (PFS) (PFS, median, Notch1: 7.2 v.s 21.2 mpnths, p = 0.03; and Notch3: 12.0 v.s. 25.3 months, p = 0.05, respectively). There was also a shorter median PFS in the patient group with lung adenocarcinoma of both high expression of Notch1 and Notch3 than those with both high expression of Notch1 and Notch3 group (both high vs. others v.s both low: PFS, median, 7.2 v.s. 14.2 v.s 25.3 months，p = 0.03). However, the expression of Notch signaling had no impact on overall survival.
CONCLUSIONS: Patients with lung adenocarcinoma had higher Notch2 expression. Patients with higher Notch2 expression also had higher rate of cancer recurrence. Both higher Notch1 and Notch3 expression was associated with poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma.
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