PBK / TOPK expression in non‐small‐cell lung cancer: its correlation and prognostic significance with K i67 and p53 expression

Aims The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of PBK / TOPK ( PDZ ‐binding kinase/ T ‐ LAK cell‐originated protein kinase) expression, and explore the prognostic significance of PBK / TOPK expression alone and in combination with K i67 and p53 expression in non‐small‐cell lung cancer ( NSCLC ). Methods and results We detected PBK / TOPK expression in 30 samples of normal lung tissue, 32 lymph node metastases and 279 primary non‐small‐cell lung cancers by immunohistochemistry, and analysed the correlation of PBK / TOPK expression with K i67 and p53 expression in primary tumour tissues. The results showed that PBK / TOPK expression was higher in lymph node metastases (75%) than in primary tumours (44.8%) and normal lung tissues (0%). PBK / TOPK expression was associated with histological type, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage, and was positively correlated with K i67 and p53 expression in NSCLC . Univariate and multivariate survival analyses showed that PBK / TOPK expression was significantly associated with an unfavourable prognosis in NSCLC . The prognosis of patients with tumours positive for both PBK / TOPK expression and K i67 or p53 expression was also significantly unfavourable. Conclusions PBK / TOPK expression is positively correlated with K i67 and p53 expression, and can be used as an independent prognostic factor in NSCLC .