The immunohistochemical expression of c-MET and RON in lung adenocarcinoma with clinicopathologic correlation

Background:Mesenchymal epidermal transition (MET) and receptor originating from nantes (RON) are transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptors. Both are members of a proto-oncogene family and thus play a role in the pathogenesis of various cancers and acquired resistance to kinase inhibitors in lung cancer.Aims:The aim of this study was to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of c-MET and RON in lung adenocarcinoma and its clinicopathologic correlation.Settings and Design:Retrospective study.Materials and Methods:The immunohistochemical c-MET and RON expression in specimens obtained from lung adenocarcinoma (n = 175) and associated clinicopathologic parameters were evaluated.Statistical Analysis Used:The correlation between c-MET and RON expression was analyzed by Chi-square test. A Cox proportional hazards model and Kaplan-Meier curve analysis were used to evaluate the risk factors and prognosis.Results:High expression of the c-MET protein showed a strong correlation with that of RON (P = 0.013, kappa = 0.183). Five-year survival and recurrence-free 5-year survival were not associated with high expression of c-MET or RON. High c-MET expression was significantly associated with age older than 60 years (P = 0.000), tumor differentiation (P = 0.009), lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.016), and pleural invasion (P = 0.005). High RON expression was associated with a solid growth pattern (P = 0.001) and pleural invasion (P = 0.002).Conclusions:The results point to the potential of immunohistochemical expression of c-MET and RON as useful prognostic markers of unfavorable histopathologic features in lung adenocarcinoma.