PROGNOSTIC IMPLICATION OF TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-ALPHA IN ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE LUNG - AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

We examined for transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) in adenocarcinomatous lesions of the lung tissues excised from 138 patients, with use of the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) method. TGF-alpha was present in the cytoplasm of the adenocarcinoma. Our objective was to determine if TGF-alpha could serve as a prognostic parameter. We divided 138 patients into two groups according to the concentration of TGF-alpha. Ninety-two patients had a high concentration of TGF-alpha, in over 75% of the tumour cells, while 46 had a low concentration, that is in less than 75% of the cells. The 5-year survival rates of patients with high TGF-alpha and low TGF-alpha were 39% and 64%, respectively (P < 0.05). Our data suggest that evidence of a high immunoreactivity of TGF-alpha can serve as a prognostic parameter in adenocarcinoma of the lung.