The effect of adhesion molecule CEACAM1 and chemokine receptor CXCR4 expression on prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer patients

Poor prognosis in the lung cancer result from early metastatic potential of the tumoral cells. The mechanisms of tumoral cell metastasis are complex. Adhesion molecules play an important role in metastatic process, which is cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interactions and chemokins which arrange the migration and growth of the cells are also important in metastatic biology. The aim of this study is to investigate the prognostic relevance of carcinoembrionic antigen cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) and chemokine receptor CXCR4 expression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Using immunohistochemical analysis, we evaluated CEACAM1 and CXCR4 expression in parafine specimens from 50 patients with NSCLC confirmed histopathologically and the relationship between CEACAM1 and CXCR4 expression and the prognosis. Twenty-one (42%) patients were positive and 29 (58%) were negative for CEACAM1 expression. Patients whose tumors had CEACAM1-positive staining had a shorter duration of survival than patients whose tumors had no expression, but it was not significant statistically [8.93 +/- 8, (median: 8) vs 12.3 +/- 11.3, (median: 9), p> 0.36]. Twenty-three (46%) patients were positive and 27 (54%) were negative for CXCR4 expression. Patients whose tumors had CXCR4-positive staining had a longer duration of survival than patients whose tumors had no expression, but it was not significant statistically [12.8 +/- 12.4, (median: 12) vs 9.3 +/- 7.6, (median: 8), p> 0.14]. In conclusion, CEACAM1 and CXCR4 played a part in metastatic process in lung cancer may not affect on survival independently. The biologic mechanisms leading to the spread of tumor cells are complex and related multifactoriel process.