Expression of CEACAM1 in pulmonary adenocarcinoma cells and their metastases

• Published in: Journal of clinical oncology Vol. 24; no. 18_suppl; p. 17071
• Main Authors: Laack, E., Schult-Kronefeld, O., Burkholder, I., Görn, M., Andritzky, B., Kugler, C., Edler, L., Bokemeyer, C., Schumacher, U., Thöm, I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 20.06.2006
• ISSN: 0732-183X; 1527-7755
• DOI: 10.1200/jco.2006.24.18_suppl.17071

Abstract only 17071 Background: The cell adhesion molecule CEACAM1 is involved in intercellular adhesion and is expressed in a variety of normal human tissues such as mammary gland, colonic mucosa and prostate. In cases of malignant transformation of these tissues a down regulation or loss of CEACAM1 has been shown. In contrary, CEACAM1 is not expressed in normal lung tissue or melanocytes and it has been demonstrated that a expression in these tissues is associated with the development of metastatic disease. The aim of the present investigation was to analyze a possible association between the expression of CEACAM1 in pulmonary adenocarcinoma cells and their lymph node and hematogenous metastatic cells. Methods: CEACAM1 expression was immunhistochemically evaluated in primary tumor cells, cells in lymph nodes and in distant metastases of 96 patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung who had undergone surgery between 1999 and 2002. Results: An expression of CEACAM1 has been shown in 78 of 96 primary tumors. We found a significant positive correlation between the CEACAM1 expression on the cells of the primary tumor and the lymph node metastases (p<0.005) and the hematogenous metastases (p<0.05). Conclusion: As shown before, CEACAM1 is not expressed in normal lung tissue but in most primary adenocarcinomas of the lung. We are the first to demonstrate, that its expression is preserved in the lymph node and hematogenous metastases in metastatic disease implicating that its expression is of functional significance of both metastatic sites. No significant financial relationships to disclose.