The implications of proliferation and apoptosis for lung cancer metastasis

The occurrence of metastatic spread depends on many factors both the condit ion of the patient and the properties of the tumor. In this investigation t he association between proliferation and apoptosis and the incidence of lym ph node involvement of patients with non-small cell lung carcinomas was ana lysed (n=215 patients). In order to analyse the relationship between lymph node metastasis and proliferative activity of the carcinomas, the distribut ion of cell cycle phases (flow cytometry), the expression of PCNA and cycli n A (immunohistochemistry) was determined. Fas, Fas-ligand, caspase-3 and B cl-2 were determined by immunohistochemistry. In this retrospective analysi s no association between proliferative activity of the tumors and lymph nod e status was found. In contrast, there existed a correlation between the ap optotic factors and lymph node metastasis. Higher expression of the pro-apo ptic factors Fas, Fas-ligand and caspase-3 correlated with a lower incidenc e of lymph node involvement (Fas-ligand, p=0.004; caspase-3, p=0.007). The trend of an inverse correlation between the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 and metastasis fits well into the present knowledge about the function of the bcl-2 gene. The results obtained from all the patients could be confirmed i n patients with squamous cell lung carcinomas.