Background
Over the last years, evidence has accumulated that an increased expression of pyruvate kinase M2 isozyme (PKM2) is related to neoplastic transformation as well that its plasma concentrations might be a marker of lung cancer progression. Materials and
Conclusions
PKM2 and PKM1 have no value as predictive markers of NSCLC regardless of the histological type and grade of malignancy.
Methods
In the present manuscript an immunohistochemical technique was used to detect the expression of two pyruvate kinase isoforms: PKM1 (muscle isozyme of PK) and PKM2 as well Ki-67 antigen on paraffin sections of 218 cases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) of different histological types and grades of malignancy.
Results
A significant correlation between expressions of both pyruvate kinase isoforms in all NSCLC types was found (r=0.42, p<0.0001). Expression levels of PKM1 and PKM2 were independent of the histological classification of the tumor and patients' clinicopathological data. Conclusions: PKM2 and PKM1 have no value as predictive markers of NSCLC regardless of the histological type and grade of malignancy.