Abstract 2192: Potential of galectin-7 as differentiating biomarker of lung cancer subtypes

• Published in: Cancer research (Chicago, Ill.) Ill.), 2023-04, Vol.83 (7_Supplement), p.2192-2192
• Main Authors: Funkhouser, Avery T., Shealy, Jonah C., Kesic, Alexandra E., Blair, Bailey B., Martin, Julie C., Arthur, Connie M., Funk, Christopher R., Edenfield, W. Jeffery, Blenda, Anna V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1538-7445; 1538-7445
• DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2023-2192

Background. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women in the United States. Non-small Cell Lung Cancer is the most prevalent and includes adenocarcinoma (AD), and squamous cell lung cancers. The unique cellular biology of these cancers could potentially allow for serological detection and identification via tissue specific protein markers. Galectins are a group of β-galactoside binding proteins which are known to be alternatively expressed in cancers and are being studied for their biomarker potential. Galectin-7 is expressed in epithelial tissues as well as in all layers of the epidermis as it is normally highly expressed by squamous cells. Purpose. We are evaluating potential of galectin-7 to be used as a serum biomarker and delineator of several lung cancer subtypes. Methods. The serum concentrations of galectin-7 were measured in 96 cancer patients using ELISA. Twenty-eight samples were from adenocarcinoma lung cancer patients, 25 were from squamous cell lung carcinomas patients, 19 were from all other types of lung cancer, and 28 were from other squamous cell carcinomas of non-pulmonary origin. The serum galectin-7 concentrations in cancer patients were compared amongst themselves by their histological subtypes. One-way analysis was performed using Student’s t-test for pairwise comparisons. Results. Galectin-7 concentrations were significantly elevated in serum samples from squamous cell lung cancer patients (n=25; mean, 1.91 ng/mL) relative to adenocarcinoma lung cancer patients (n=24; mean, 1.02; p-value, 0.0149). Additionally, levels of galectin-7 in samples of squamous cell lung carcinomas were higher than samples of squamous cell carcinomas of non-pulmonary origin (n=28; mean, 0.33 ng/mL, p-value,