Relationship between stathmin expression and taxane resistance in stage IV non-small cell lung cancer

Objective: To investigate the expression of Stathmin protein and chemoresistance to taxane in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Seventy-five patients with stage Ⅳ NSCLC treated with taxane between October 2003 and October 2007 were enrolled in the study and the tumor samples were retrospectively analyzed. The expression of Stathmin protein in the tumor samples was detected by immunohistochemistry. Data regarding the effects of taxane treatment and survival time were collected and analyzed. Results: The positive staining rate of Stathmin (≥50% cells were stained) was 80.00% (60/75). The positive staining rate of Stathmin was 81.63% in male patients, 76.92% in female patients (P=0.627), 71.79% in pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma, 88.89% in pulmonary adenocarcinoma (P=0.064), 78.95% in patients over 58 years old, and 81.08% in patients of 58 years or younger (P=0.817). The response rate (CR + PR) was 34.67%. Patients with Stathmin overexpression (>50% cells were stained) had a lower response rate to tax-ane of 28.33% (17/60) and a higher progression rate of 21.67% (13/60) after taxane treatment. Patients with Stathmin underexpression (<50% cells were stained) had a higher response rate of 60.00% (9/15) and a low- er progression rate of 0 (0/15) (P=0.021 and P=0.047, respectively). Overexpression of Stathmin protein was correlated with shorter median overall survival (12.0 months) and progression-free survival (8.0 months). Low expression of Stathmin protein was correlated with longer median overall survival (17.0 months) and progres- sion-free survival (13.0 months) (P=0.008 and P=0.008, respectively). Patient characteristics including age, gender, and histological subtype were not correlated with median overall survival or progression-free survival (P>0.05). Conclusion: Overexpression of Stathmin is associated with resistance to taxane and poor prognosis of NSCLC patients treated with taxane-based chemotherapy.