PURPOSE: The Kit receptor has been proposed as a key molecular target for the treatment of @entity151 ( @entity151 ). @entity25449 ( @entity584 ) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) are intracellular kinases that regulate cell survival and proliferation and may play a role in Kit signal transduction. This study was designed to examine the expression and importance of Kit, @entity584 , and MAPK relative to standard clinical prognostic factors in @entity151 . EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Kit, @entity584 , and MAPK expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in @entity151 biopsies. Clinical data were collected on @entity5 stage, weight loss, hematology, biochemistry, response to treatment, and survival. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate prognostic significance. RESULTS: Biopsies from 42 @entity1 were evaluable, and significant Kit expression (>/=35% cells) was detected in 51% of the @entity5 , phosphorylated @entity584 was detected in 62% of the @entity5 , and phosphorylated MAPK was detected in 48% of the @entity5 . Neither Kit nor @entity584 expression predicted for survival. Only increased expression of cytoplasmic MAPK was prognostic for survival (median, 1 year for negative staining versus 1.8 years for positive staining; P = 0.0054). CONCLUSIONS: Kit, @entity584 , and MAPK are expressed in a high percentage of SCLCs, and our data suggest that MAPK is an independent positive predictive factor in this malignancy.

Expression and prognostic significance of kit, @entity25449 , and mitogen-activated protein kinase in XXXX with @entity151 .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor', 'tumors'] @entity584 :: ('207', 'Gene') :: ['PKB/Akt'] @entity25449 :: ('2185', 'Gene') :: ['Protein kinase B'] @entity151 :: ('MESH:D055752', 'Disease') :: ['SCLC', 'small cell lung cancer']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['patients']
