ERCC1 Expression Does Not Predict Survival and Treatment Response in Advanced Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cases Treated with Platinum Based Chemotherapy

Background: ERCC1 is considered as a promising molecular marker that may predict platinum basedchemotherapy response in non small cell lung cancer patients. We therefore investigated whether its expression isindeed associated with clinical outcomes in advanced stage NSCLC patients. Materials and Methods: Pretreatmenttumor biopsy samples of 83 stage 3B and 4 non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with platinum basedchemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed for immunohistochemical ERCC1 expression. None of the patientsreceived curative surgery or radiotherapy. Results: By calculating H- scores regarding the extent and intensityof immunohistochemical staining of tumor biopsy samples, ERCC1 expression was found to be positive in 50patients (60.2%). ERCC1 positive and negative groups had no statistically significant differences regardingtreatment response, progression free survival and overall survival (respectively p=0.161; p=0.412; p=0.823).Conclusions: In our study we found no association between ERCC1 expression and survival or treatmentresponse. The study has some limitations, such as small sample size and retrospective analysis method. There isneed of more knowledge for use of ERCC1 guided chemotherapy regimens in advanced stage NSCLC.