ALDH1 expression correlates with an epithelial-like phenotype and favorable prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma: a study based on immunohistochemistry and mRNA expression data

Purpose Cancer stem cells (CSC) and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathways are crucial for cancer progression. However, synergistic interactions between CSC and EMT are not clear in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The objective of this study was to investigate CSC markers such as CD44, NANOG, and ALDH1 expression and its correlation with EMT markers in NSCLC patients. Its association with survival was also determined.