완전 절제된 원발성 비소세포 폐암에서 Caspase-3와 c-myc 단백의 발현과 임상 예후

Background: Caspase-3 is a cysteine protease that plays a major role in the process of apoptotic cell death. The dysregulated expression of c-myc contributes to the tumorigenesis in a variety of human cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the expressions of caspase-3 and c-myc and their significances as prognosis markers in patients with completely resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Material and Method: A total 130 consecutive patients who had undergone complete resection without pre-operative radio-therapy or chemotherapy between May 1996 and December 2003 for NSCLC were retrospectively reviewed. The median follow-up period of the patients was 50 months (range: $3{\sim}128$ months). The expressions of caspase-3 and c-myc were immuno-histochemically examined, and these were correlated with the clinico-pathologic data. Result: The prevalence of caspase-3 and c-myc expressions in the patients was 68% (88/130) and 59% (77/130), respectively. Significant association was found between the frequency of the expressions of caspase-3 and c-myc (p=0.025). The caspase-3 and c-myc expressions were not significantly associated with the prognosis in all the patients. However, according to stages, a positive caspase-3 expression was significantly correlated with a favorable prognosis for patients with stage IIIa disease (median survival period: 35 months vs. 10 months, p=0.021). Multivariate analysis showed the pathologic stage to be significantly correlated with a good prognosis in all the patients (p=0.024), and with a positive caspase-3 expression, well differentiated tumor and negative neuronal invasion in the patients with stage llla disease (p=0.005, p=0.003, p=0.004, respectively). Conclusion: Caspase-3 and c-myc were frequently expressed in NSCLC, suggesting its possible involvement in tumor development. The caspase-3 expression, as determined with performing immunohistochemical staining, may be a favorable prognostic indicator in patients with completely resected NSCLC an advanced stage (IIIa). 배경: 인체에서 세포증식과 세포자멸사(apoptosis)과정에서의 불균형은 악성 종양의 발생과 그 예후에 중요하게 작용한다. 본 연구는 세포자멸사에 관계하는 세포내 신호전달 경로에 중요하게 작용하는 cysteine protease의 일종인 caspase-3 단백과 많은 종류의 암에서 세포분열 혹은 세포자멸사 모두에 관여하는 것으로 알려진 c-myc oncogene 단백의 발현과 폐암과의 연관성을 관찰하고, 완전 절제된 원발성 비소세포 폐암 환자에서 caspase-3와 c-myc 단백의 발현과 임상적인 예후 인자로서의 의의를 알아보고자 했다. 대상 및 방법: 1996년 5월부터 2003년 12월까지 원발성 비소세포 폐암으로 수술 전 항암화학요법이나 방사선 요법을 시행 받은 환자를 제외하고, 완전 절제술을 시행 받은 총 130명의 환자를 대상으로 하였다. 추적 조사 기간은 중앙값 50개월($3{\sim}1