ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation between the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Ki-67, p53 and lymph node micrometastasis in pN0 stage non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).

MethodsNinety-three NSCLC patients confirmed by routine pathological examination and 45 non-lung cancer patients treated with operation were selected. The expression levels of VEGF, Ki-67 and p53 in lung cancer tissue and normal lung tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry, the relationship between the expression levels of VEGF, Ki-67 and p53 in lung cancer and clinicopathological characteristics of patients were analyzed, and the ROC curve was used to analyze its diagnostic value for lymph node micrometastasis.

ResultsThe positive rates of VEGF, Ki-67 and p53 expression in lung cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in normal lung tissues(P < 0.01). The differences of the positive rates of VEGF, Ki-67 and p53 expression in lung tissues of NSCLC patients with different TNM stages were statistically significant(P < 0.05), but which was not related to the gender, age, pathological type, tumor size and smoking history(P>0.05). The scores of VEGF, Ki-67 and p53 expression in lung tissue of patients with lymph node micrometastasis were significantly higher than those of patients without lymph node micrometastasis(P < 0.01). The AUC values of the scores of VEGF, KI-67 and p53 in the diagnosis of lymph node micrometastasis in NSCLC patients were 0.816, 0.877 and 0.821, respectively.

ConclusionsThe expression levels of VEGF, Ki-67 and p53 in lung tissue of patients with pN0 stage NSCLC is closely related to the occurrence and development of lung cancer, and lymph node micrometastasis. It can be used as a potential detection index of lymph node micrometastasis.