The role of microvascularization and growth/adhesion-regulatory lectins in the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer in stage II.

Objective: To investigate the role of growth/adhesion-regulatory lectins in the prognosis of the stage II non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs) via quantitative lectinhistochemical examinations and measurement of microvascularization of the tumour.

Methods: In 94 radically operated lung cancer patients, stage II NSCLC was confirmed histologically (T1N1: 6, T2N1: 66, T3N0: 22). Immunohistochemical methods were applied to investigate the galectin-1, galectin-3, CL-16 and hyaluronic-acid-binding capacities of the tumours, and also the expression of galectin-1, -3 and heparin binding lectin. Sections were examined with the aid of qualitative (stained/not-stained) and syntactic structure analysis. The microvessels were detected by staining with anti-factor VIII antibodies. The findings were compared with the survival data.

Results: In the univariate survival examinations, the prognosis was poorer for the galectin-1 and -3-expressing tumours (p=0.014 and p=0.003) and in multivariate analysis for the galectin-3-expressing tumours (p=0.046, RR: 2.026). Correlations could be demonstrated between the survival and the distance between the tumour cell for the tumours binding galectin-3 (p=0.039, RR: 5.944) and expressing galectin-3 (p=0.041, RR: 3.335). An elevation of the volume fraction of microvessels was a sign of a poor prognosis (p=0.017, RR: 2.334), however the increase of surface fraction improves the survival (p=0.01, RR: 0.956).

Conclusions: In stage II NSCLC, galectin-3 expression is indicative of a poor prognosis. In tumour expressing and binding galectin-3, the distance between the tumour cells is of prognostic significance. An increase in the microvessel volume fraction points to a poorer survival rate.