CD133 expression: a potential prognostic marker for non-small cell lung cancers

Background

CD133 is a membrane glycoprotein containing five transmembrane loops. Previous reports suggest that a CD133-positive subpopulation of multipotent cells with extensive proliferative and self-renewal characteristics has biological features of a cancer stem cell. In addition, the presence of CD133-positive cells was associated with a significantly poorer prognosis for some solid tumors, compared to those with CD133-negative cells. However, the clinicopathological significance of CD133 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial.

Methods

We conducted immunohistochemical assessment of 161 NSCLCs surgically resected at Hokkaido University Hospital between 1982 and 1994 to evaluate correlations between CD133 expression and various clinicopathological features.

Results

CD133 expression was significantly correlated with pathological stages (pStages) II, III, and IV for the various NSCLC types analyzed and was an independent factor for unfavorable prognosis in this population (hazard ratio = 3.157, P = 0.015).

Conclusion

CD133 expression was correlated with pStage and was predictive of unfavorable prognosis in patients with pStages II, III, and IV NSCLC. These results suggest the possibility of using CD133 as a novel prognostic marker in these patients.