Abstract:

Objective To investigate the expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in tissues of nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and their relationship. Methods The expression of STAT3, pSTAT3, VEGF and bFGF in tissues of 68 cases of NSCLC and lung tissues of 27 normal cases were detected by immunohistochemistry methods, and their relationship with clinicopathological features was analyzed. Results The expression of STAT3, pSTAT3, VEGF and bFGF in tissues of NSCLC was significantly higher than that in normal lung tissues (P＜0.05). There was positive correlationship among pSTAT3,VEGF and bFGF in tissues of NSCLC (P＜0.05). The expression of STAT3 and pSTAT3 in NSCLC with poor differentiation was higher than that in NSCLC with high or moderate differentiation, the expression in NSCLC at TNM Ⅲ+Ⅳ stage was higher than that in NSCLC at TNMⅠ+Ⅱ stage, and the expression in NSCLC with lymph node metastasis was higher than that in NSCLC without lymph node metastasis(P<0.05). The expression of VEGF and bFGF in NSCLC at TNM Ⅲ+Ⅳ stage was higher than that in NSCLC at TNMⅠ+Ⅱ stage （P<0.05), and the expression of bFGF in NSCLC with lymph node metastasis was higher than that in NSCLC without lymph node metastasis （P<0.05). Conclusion STAT3,pSTAT3,VEGF and bFGF are highly expressed in NSCLC, and are involved in tumor metastasis and invasion.

Key words: nonsmall-cell lung cancer, immunohistochemistry, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor