Prognostic significance of ERCC1, RRM1, TOP1, TOP2A, TYMS, TUBB3, GSTP1 and BRCA1 mRNA expressions in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer receiving a platinum-based chemotherapy

Purpose: Currently, more researchers are attracted by the possibility of assessing the sensitivity of a lung tumor to certain chemotherapy drugs and their personalized choice based on an assessment of this sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to explore the prognostic significance of the level of 8 chemosensitivity genes' expression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: The study included 59 patients with NSCLC IIB- IIIA stage. RNA was isolated from the surgical material of the tumor and normal lung tissue. The expression level of 8 chemosensitivity genes BRCA1, RRM1, ERCC1, TOP1, TOP2a, TUBB3, TYMS, GSTP1 was evaluated using RTPCR. Results: Cases with higher metastasis-free survival rates showed a significantly low level of expression of the ERCC1,BRCA1, GSTP1 genes (p=0.0004, p=0.01, p=0.01). In addition, analysis of the overall survival revealed that the highest rates were achieved in patients with overexpression of the ERCC1 gene. The overall survival in these patients was 86%, versus 55% in the other group and the differences were statistically significant (p=0.002). No statistically significant differences were found for the remaining genes. Conclusion: Thus, a comprehensive assessment of the chemosensitivity genes expression is important not only from the point of view of understanding the heterogeneity and complexity in the field of molecular biology of NSCLC, but also for a more accurate prognosis and course of the disease.