Analysis of c-kit expression in small cell lung cancer: Prevalence and prognostic implications

• Published in: Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Netherlands), 2006-06, Vol.52 (3), p.343-347
• Main Authors: Camps, Carlos, Sirera, Rafael, Bremnes, Roy M., Garde, Javier, Safont, María José, Blasco, Ana, Berrocal, Alfonso, Sánchez, José Javier, Calabuig, Consuelo, Martorell, Miguel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - biosynthesis; c-kit; Carcinoma, Small Cell - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Small Cell - metabolism; Carcinoma, Small Cell - mortality; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - metabolism; Lung Neoplasms - mortality; Male; Medical sciences; Molecular markers; Pneumology; Predictive Value of Tests; Prevalence; Prognosis; Prognostic factors; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit - biosynthesis; Retrospective Studies; Small cell lung cancer (SCLC); Survival Rate; Tumors of the respiratory system and mediastinum
• ISSN: 0169-5002; 1872-8332
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2006.02.003

c-kit, a growth factor receptor with tyrosine kinase activity, plays an important role in the biology of cancer. Its expression has been documented in several malignancies. We performed a retrospective study in 85 patients diagnosed with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) to determine the prevalence and role of c-kit as a possible prognostic marker in this lung cancer malignancy. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from patient charts. c-kit, analyzed as immunohistochemical expression in paraffin-embedded tumour tissues, was observed in 60% of patients. All patients were former or present smokers. At diagnosis, 46% of the patients had limited disease (LD) and 54% extended disease (ED). c-kit expression was observed in 59% of LD and 61% of ED patients ( p = 0.4). Patients received a median of 4 cycles first-line combination chemotherapy (platinum and etoposide). In LD patients, time to progression (TTP) was 11.5 months in c-kit (+) versus 5.9 in c-kit (−) patients ( p = 0.14), and median survival 15.4 and 12.8 months, respectively ( p = 0.33). In the ED group, TTP was 5.5 months in c-kit (+) versus 3.8 in c-kit (−) patients ( p = 0.34), whereas median survival was 6.3 and 7.9 months, respectively ( p = 0.45). With the limited number of patients in mind, our findings tended towards an association between c-kit expression and survival in the LD group.