The correlation of HPV infection with the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor in non small cell lung cancer / 肿瘤

ABSTRACT

Objective: To study the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGFR) in non small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and discuss their significance in the oncogenesis of lung cancer. Methods: The PCR method was used to detect the HPV infection in 89 cases of NSCLC and 20 cases of benign pulmonary lesions. The immunohistochemicl SP method was used to measure the expressions of VEGF and EGFR in HPV (+) and HPV (-) patients with NSCLC. Results: The infection rate of HPV in NSCLC group (35/89) was significantly higher than that in patients with benign pulmonary lesions (1/20, P = 0. 007). The expression of EGFR and VEGF in HPV (+) group was significantly higher than that in HPV (-) group (P < 0.01). The expression of VEGF had no significant difference between HPV(+), EGFR (+) group and HPV(+), EGFR(-) group. The HPV infection significantly correlated with the differentiation degree and lymphatic metastasis of NSCLC, but did not correlate with the histological type, smoking, sex, and age of patients. The expression of VEGF was associated with the lymphatic metastasis but not with other clinicopathologic parameters. The expression of EGFR had no relationship with clinicopathologic features. Conclusion: HPV infection has a significant correlation with the oncogenesis of NSCLC. The HPV infection stimulates lymphangiogenesis and facilitated lymphatic metastasis of lung cancer by inducing the expression of EGFR and VEGF. Prevention of HPV infection has important significance to decrease the occurrence and reduce early metastasis of lung cancer.