High Incidence of Extracellular Matrix Metalloproteinase Inducer Expression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers

OBJECTIVE: Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) is a highly glycosylated transmembrane protein that is widely present on the surface of various tumor cells, assisting in tumor progression by stimulating the production of several matrix metalloproteinases in adjacent stromal cells. However, its clinical relevance remains to be evaluated in lung cancers. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the relationship between EMMPRIN expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis. METHODS: EMMPRIN expression was semiquantified by immunohistochemistry with anti-human EMMPRIN monoclonal antibody in 208 surgically resected NSCLCs and was analyzed statistically in relation to various characteristics. RESULTS: EMMPRIN expression was seen in most NSCLC samples (92%). High levels of EMMPRIN expression were significantly associated with differentiation and pT(1) stage in adenocarcinomas. There were no significant differences in overall survival between patients with tumors having high and low levels of EMMPRIN expression in pathological stage I NSCLCs (5-year survival rates, 69 vs. 60%). CONCLUSIONS: EMMPRIN was preferentially expressed in most NSCLCs. High levels of expression were associated with early T stage and well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, and were not a prognostic factor in NSCLC.