Chinese Journal of Cancer Research 17(3):207-212, 2005 207 EXPRESSION OF HEPARANASE AND ITS CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN HUMAN NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER HAN Yu-chen (~)1, ZHANG Si-yang (~r~ [] ~)1, QIU Xue-shan (y~/)l* LI Shu-yu (~?~t) 1, YU Min (~:~)i, GU Yu-mei (~j~)l, IRIS Pecker 2, WANG En-hua (q: ~)1, 1Department of Pathology, China Medical University, Shenyang 110011, China elnsight Strategy and Marketing Ltd., Israel CLC number: R730.2 Document code: A Article ID: I000-9604(2005)03-0207-06 ABSTRACT Objective: To explore the expression and significance of heparanase in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) regarding prognosis and clinicopathological parameters. Methods: The expression of heparanase was assessed using immunohistochemistry staining and Western blot in 122 paraffin-embedded specimens and 38 freshly taken tissues. The relationship between heparanase expression and the clinicopathological factors was analyzed by Chi-square test, multivariate analysis and Kaplan-Meier method. Results: In the immunoreactive cells, staining was mainly located in cytoplasma and membrane. Human heparanase was highly expressed in lung cancer tissue (78.7%, 96/122) while negative in epithelia of normal lung tissues. The level of heparanase was remarkably higher in NSCLC than that in normal tissue (P=0.043). Expression of heparanase significantly correlated with TNM stage (P=0.025), lymphatic metastasis (P=0.002) and vascular invasion (P=0.0003). The patients with positive heparanase expression had a significantly shorter survival than those with negative heparanase expression (P=0.0006). In multivariate analysis, only p-TNM stage, lymphatic metastasis and vascular invasion could be considered as prognostic factors. Conclusion: Elevated level of heparanase in human non-small cell lung cancer tissues correlates with the TNM stage, invasion, metastasis and prognosis. However, heparanase expression is not an independent prognostic factor. Key words: Heparanase; Non-small cell lung cancer; Prognosis Tissue barrier composed of basal lamina and extracellular matrix must be destructed for the tumor cells to realize their metastasis. It has been reported in recent studies that heparanase not only specifically Received date: Apr. 12, 2005; Accepteddate: Mar. 26, 2005 Foundation item: This work was supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (No. 30170409) and the Scientific Research Foundation of Liaoning Education Office (No. 20122178). *Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Phone: (0086-24)-23261638 E-mail: qiuxues @hotmail.com Biography: HAN Yu-chen (1969-), female, doctor of medicine, associate professor, Department of Pathology, China Medical University, majors in tumor pathology. E-malh hanyuchencn @ yahoo.com degrades heparan sulfate proteoglycan, one of the major component of the barrier, but also directly or indirectly promote invasion and metastasis of tumor by coaction with several other factors and through several pathways. And heparanase expression has been the hot topic in study of the mechanism and countermeasure of tumor metastasis in recent years. Heparanase expression is very low in normal tissue. But in many tumor tissues heparanase expression is significantly higher than that in normal tissue from which the tumors are derived. The universality of the expression change and significance of it on early diagnosis and estimation of prognosis of the tumor is still not very clear. For this purpose we analyzed the relationship between heparanase expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and survival period and clinical and pathological parameters to explore the role and significance of heparanase in invasion, metastasis and prognosis evaluation of NSCLC.