The alternatively spliced actinin-4 variant as a prognostic marker for metastasis in small-cell lung cancer

The alternatively spliced actinin-4 variant (ACTN4va) is expressed in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and is thought to be a potential diagnostic marker. However, ACTN4va expression has not been examined in transbronchial biopsy specimens. We retrospectively examined the relationship between ACTN4va expression, clinical factors and survival in 104 consecutive newly-diagnosed SCLC patients. Of the 104 screened cases, 83 (median age=69 years; transbronchial biopsy, 71) were included in our study. Survival was significantly different in the group with no distant metastasis (1996 vs. 422 days, respectively; p=0.000115) but was not significantly different with regard to ACTN4va expression in the group with distant metastasis (293 vs. 254 days, respectively; p=0.678). ACTN4va expression was identifiable in small biopsy samples. ACTN4va expression was also significantly related to distant metastasis and could stratify SCLC patients according to prognosis.