Genome-wide cDNA microarray screening of genes related to survival in patients after curative resection of non-small cell lung cancer

We conducted a study to determine whether the expression levels of genes in tumors were correlated with the survival of patients after complete resection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The expression levels of 1176 genes in resected tumor specimens from 28 patients were analyzed using the Atlas™ Human Cancer 1.2 Array. The pathological stages of the resected tumors were I, II and III in 14, 5 and 9 patients, respectively. We compared the differences of gene expression between patients who survived (n=12) and those who died (n=16). The expression levels of cyclin-dependent kinase 8, phosphoinositide-3-kinase, interferon regulatory factor 3 and tubulin were significantly higher in the tumors of surviving patients with stage I lung cancer (p<0.01). The expression levels of 12 genes, including the interferon-stimulated genes, were significantly higher in surviving patients with stage II or III lung cancer (p<0.01). Stepwise multivariate regression analysis revealed that 4 and 12 genes in stage I and stage II/III cancers, respectively, were independent prognostic factors (p<0.01). In conclusion, these survival-related genes are considered to be possible targets of adjuvant therapy after surgical resection of NSCLC.