Objective: To determine STAT3, P-STAT3, and VEGF-C expression levels in small cell lung cancers (SCLCs), and discuss their role and clinical significance in SCLC development.
Method: Immunohistochemical methods were applied to 128 cases of SCLC and 40 cases of adjacent normal tissue.
Results: The expression levels of STAT3, P-STAT3, and VEGF-C were higher in SCLC than in normal tissue (P<0.05). Pairwise comparisons showed positive correlations with lymph node metastasis, clinical stage, and tumor size (P<0.05). The expression levels were also related with the overall survival rates.
Conclusion: STAT3 and VEGF-C play important roles in the development of SCLC, and might be expected to become new targets for SCLC treatment.