Korean J Pathol.  2011 Feb;45(1):45-52.

ERCC1 Predicts a Poorer Platinum-based Chemotherapy Outcome but a Better Outcome for Uracil-Tegafur in the Resected Stage I-II NSCLC

• Ryu HS
• Xu X
• Kim H
• Lee JS
• Jheon S
• Chung JH

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The role of excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) has been controversial in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy with a platinum agent. We investigated ERCC1 expression in stage I-II NSCLC to clarify its significance for adjuvant chemotherapy.
METHODS
The ERCC1 expression profile was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and compared according to adjuvant chemotherapeutic agents in 146 patients who underwent surgical resection for stage I-II NSCLC. The patients were divided into 3 groups; adjuvant chemotherapy with a platinum based agent (18.5%, 27/146); adjuvant chemotherapy with uracil-tegafur (UFT) (40.4%, 59/146); surgery-alone (41.1%, 60/146).
RESULTS
Nuclear ERCC1 expression was detected in 71.9% (105/146) of NSCLC and was significantly associated with a shortened survival period in the group 1 patients who received the platinum based regimen after surgery. The group 2 patients who received UFT showed the longest survival period, followed by the surgery-alone group (overall survival, p=0.049; disease-free survival [DFS], p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that stage I-II NSCLC patients with ERCC1 expression experience a shorter DFS period with adjuvant chemotherapy with a platinum based regimen and may benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy with UFT, instead of platinum after surgery.

Keyword

Carcinoma, non-small-cell lung; ERCC1 protein, human; Chemotherapy, adjuvant

MeSH Terms

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung
Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
Disease-Free Survival
DNA Repair
DNA-Binding Proteins
Endonucleases
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Platinum
DNA-Binding Proteins
Endonucleases
Platinum