Cell membrane CD44v6 levels in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung: association with high cellular proliferation and high concentrations of EGFR and CD44v5

Membranous CD44v6 levels in tumors and surrounding samples obtained from 94 patients with squamous cell lung carcinomas were studied and compared to clinical stage, cellular proliferation, membranous CD44v5 levels, epidermal growth factor receptor EGFR and cytoplasmatic concentrations of CYFRA 21.1. CD44v6 positive values were observed in 33/38 non-tumor samples and in 76/94 tumor samples, but there were not statistically significant differences between both subgroups. In CD44v6 positive tumor samples, CD44v6 was not associated with clinical stage, histological grade, ploidy and lymph node involvement, but significant association was found with high cellular proliferation. Likewise, CD44v6 positive tumors had significantly higher levels of EGFR and CD44v5. In patients with squamous cell lung carcinomas and clinical stage I, positive CD44v6 cases were associated with the same parameters. Furthermore, positive CD44v5 squamous tumors were associated significantly with histological grade III and lower levels of CYFRA21.1. Our findings support the value of CD44v6 as a possible indicator of poor outcome in patients with squamous lung carcinomas.