BackgroundCD44s is a cell adhesion molecule known to mediate cellular adhesion to the extracellular matrix, a prerequisite for tumor cell migration. CD44s plays an important role in invasion and metastasis of various cancers. In the present study, we sought to determine whether CD44s is involved in clinical outcomes of patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).MethodsUsing immunohistochemical staining, we investigated CD44s protein expression using tissue array specimens from 159 patients with resected NSCLC (adenocarcinoma (AC; n = 82) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC; n = 77). Additionally, the immunoreactivity of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 was also studied. The clinicopathological implications of these molecules were analyzed statistically.ResultsHigh CD44s expression was detected more frequently in NSCLC patients with SCC (66/72; 91.7%) than in those with AC histology (P <0.001). Additionally, high CD44s expression was significant correlated with more advanced regional lymph node metastasis (P = 0.021). In multivariate analysis of survival in NSCLC patients with AC histology, significant predictors were lymph node metastasis status (P < 0.001), high-grade tumor differentiation (P = 0.046), and high CD44s expression (P = 0.014). For NSCLC patients with SCC histology, the significant predictor was a more advanced tumor stage (P = 0.015). No significant association was found between CD44s and clinical outcome (P = 0.311).ConclusionsHigh CD44s expression was a negative prognostic marker with significance in patients with resected NSCLC, particularly those with AC histology, and was independent of tumor stage.

NCT01839773.

Context. In Korea, many health care professionals have shown increased concern about the management of cancer pain. Five years after a pain management guideline was distributed to Korean physicians, the Korean Society of Hospice and Palliative Care evaluated the change in cancer pain management. The period evaluated was between 2001 and 2006.Methods. We did a prospective, cross-sectional cancer pain survey on the change of the pain prevalence and pain intensity, its impact on daily activities and the adequacy of pain management between 2001 and 2006.Results. Overall, 7565 patients were enrolled from 72 cancer hospitals in the 2001 cancer pain survey and 7245 patients were enrolled from 63 cancer hospitals in the 2006 cancer pain survey. The overall prevalence of cancer pain and the percentage of patients reporting a negative pain management index were significantly decreased in the 2006 cancer pain survey compared with the 2001 cancer pain survey (44.9% vs. 52.1%, P < 0.0001 and 41.6% vs. 45.0%, respectively, P ¼ 0.0005). However, in 2006, physicians did not prescribe analgesics to 25.8% of the patients with severe pain and they did not adjust the prescribed analgesics properly in 47.4% of the patients with severe pain.Conclusion. Some improvement in cancer pain management was noted during the five years between 2001 and 2006. However, all of the physicians who care for

No abstract