Fas expression in non-small cell lung cancer: its prognostic effect in completely resected stage III patients

SThe aim of this study was to examine Pas expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and examine its correlation with clinicopathological featur es and prognosis. Pas expression was determined by an immunohistochemical a nalysis using the labelled streptavidin-biotin method from 220 paraffin spe cimens of completely resected primary stage I-III NSCLC. 80 (36%) of 220 ca ses-were positive for Fas immunostaining. These 80 Gases included 44 adenoc arcinomas (33%) and 30 squamous cell carcinomas (40%). 33 stage I (33%) 13 (43%) stage II and 34 (37%) stage III tumours were Pas positive. No statist ically significant differences were observed regarding the Pas status with respect to age, sex, histological type, or stage of disease. There was no s ignificant difference in survival between early stage (stages I-II) disease pateints with positive Fas expression and those with a negative expression (P = 0.719). However, for patients with completely resected stage III tumo urs, the patients with positive Pas staining were found to survive for a lo nger period than those with negative staining (P = 0.026). (C) 1999 Elsevie r Science Ltd, All rights reserved.