We conducted a study to determine whether the expression levels of genes in
tumors were correlated with the survival of patients after complete resection of
non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The expression levels of 1176 genes in resected
tumor specimens from 28 patients were analyzed using the Atlastrade mark Human
Cancer 1.2 Array. The pathological stages of the resected
tumors were I, II and III in 14, 5 and 9 patients, respectively. We compared the differences of gene expression between patients who survived (n=12) and those who died (n=16). The expression levels of
cyclin-dependent kinase 8, phosphoinositide-3-kinase,
interferon regulatory factor 3 and
tubulin were significantly higher in the
tumors of surviving patients with stage I
lung cancer (p<0.01). The expression levels of 12 genes, including the
interferon- stimulated genes, were significantly higher in surviving patients with stage II or III
lung cancer (p<0.01). Stepwise multivariate regression analysis revealed that 4 and 12 genes in stage I and stage II/III
cancers, respectively, were independent prognostic factors (p<0.01). In conclusion, these survival-related genes are considered to be possible targets of adjuvant
therapy after surgical resection of NSCLC.