Association of expression of MRP1, BCRP, LRP and ERCC1 with outcome of patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy

PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate prognostic value of multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1), breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), lung resistance-related protein (LRP) and excision repair cross-complementing 1 (ERCC1) in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy.MethodsTransbronchial biopsy (TBB) specimens from 46 patients with stage IIIA (N2) NSCLC were collected to determine the expression level of MRP1, BCRP, LRP and ERCC1 mRNA by semiquantitative RT-PCR. The expression level of each gene was analyzed in relation to histopathologic response to chemotherapy, and tumor-free survival (TFS) and overall survival.ResultsPatients with MRP1 or LRP low expression had a significantly better histopathologic response (P = 0.032 and 0.006), and a significantly longer TFS (P = 0.043 and 0.025) and overall survival (P = 0.019 and 0.013) than those with MRP1 or LRP high expression. Patients with ERCC1 low expression had a significantly longer overall survival (P = 0.007), but not TFS (P = 0.094) than those with ERCC1 high expression. In multivariate analysis, LRP low expression was a significantly favorable factor for TFS (P = 0.027), and LRP and ERCC1 were significantly favorable factors for overall survival (P = 0.012 and 0.032).ConclusionAssessment of MRP1 and LRP mRNA expression in TBB specimens may predict histopathologic response and survival in locally advanced NSCLC patients who received neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy. ERCC1 expression was predictive for overall survival.