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The pituitary tumor transforming gene (PTTG) encodes a protein called securin. Overexpression of mRNA has been associated with higher mortality at 5 years in patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our team studies the validation of this association by analyzing securin protein expression levels and survival in NSCLC patients.

We reviewed diffferent bibliographies about several gene biomarkers and the prognostic role of mRNA overexpression in NSCLC, both in vitro and clinically. Subsequently, we recruited a cohort of 285 patients from our center diagnosed with NSCLC for whom tumor tissue samples were available. PTTG levels were examined by immunohistochemistry. Two independent pathologists, blinded to clinical data, categorized PTTG expression.

Our cohort was characterized by a median age of 68 years and a male gender distribution (77.2%). The  stage of the disease at diagnosis, stage III stood out (61%), followed by stages I (24%), IV (8%) and II (7%). Most of the patients underwent surgery (90%), while throughout the process 86% received radiotherapy.

PTTG mRNA overexpression was associated with lower overall survival (OS), without statistical significance (p=0.151). When analyzing the cohort by histological subgroups, lower OS was observed in patients diagnosed with NSCLC with adenocarcinoma histology (N=145) and high expression of PTTG (p=0.032) (Figure 1).

In our cohort, PTTG overexpression is associated with a higher risk of mortality in NSCLC, with statistical significance in those cases with adenocarcinoma histology. This response biomarker may be useful to predict prognosis and as a therapeutic target in NSCLC.