Hyaluronan detection and cytokine gene expression: predictive and prognostic impact as new lung cancer markers

Abstract

Among all kinds of neoplasias, lung cancer is the one that causes more deaths around the world. The high mortality of this disease is due to the fact that in most cases it is diagnosed in advanced stages and so the treatment options are only paliative. A lot of factors contribute to cancer development and progression. Between them highlight the unbalanced mecanisms of syntesis and reabsorption of several components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the inadequate immune response of the patients with lung cancer. The neoplasic spread is a result of this unbalance on the ECM and the inadequate imunne response of the patient.The cause or the causes that initiate all this changes on the ECM and on the immune responses are still unknown and present a huge challenge.For this, it becomes fundamental the comprehension of the role of the glycosaminoglycans of the ECM and the components of the innate and adaptative immune response of the patients with lung cancer through immunehistochemistry and molecular analisys. With these results, it will be possible to better understand the response processes of the body regarding the neoplasia, the processes of neoplasic growing and spread and it will open possibilities to identify new prognostic markers on these patients. (AU)