Abstract
Background
Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2) is expressed on the surface of trophoblast cells and many malignant tumor cells. However, data on TROP2 expression in advanced lung cancer are insufficient, and its changes have not been fully evaluated.
Methods
We assessed the prevalence and changes in TROP2 expression in patients with lung cancer who received anti-cancer treatments using immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis with an anti-TROP2 antibody (clone: SP295). IHC scores were graded from 0 to 3; grade ≥ 2 was considered positive for TROP2 expression. We defined a difference in IHC score, before and after anti-cancer treatments, as the change in TROP2 expression.
Results
Before anti-cancer treatment, TROP2 expression was observed in 89% (143/160) of the patients and was significantly more common in adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma than in neuroendocrine carcinoma (P < 0.001). After anti-cancer treatment, TROP2 expression was observed in 87% (139/160) of the patients. The distribution of TROP2 expression in post-treatment samples was analogous to that in pre-treatment samples when compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (P = 0.509). However, an increase in TROP2 expression was seen in 19 (12%), and a decrease in 20 (13%) patients. Patients treated with targeted therapy showed significantly higher changes in TROP2 expression (P = 0.019) and thoracic radiotherapy was more likely to increase TROP2 expression than chemotherapy alone.
Conclusion
Although some anti-cancer treatments might alter the TROP2 expression, TROP2 was expressed in most lung cancer specimens before and after anti-cancer treatments. These results support the development of TROP2-directed therapy against advanced lung cancer in various treatment lines.
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Availability of data and materials
The remaining data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.
Code availability
Not applicable.
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Acknowledgments
We thank all the patients who participated in this study and their families. We also thank all the clinical pathology technicians who supported this study.
Funding
This study was supported by a contract research fund from Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.
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SO was involved in study concept and design; acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; drafting of the manuscript; full access to all data in the study and responsible for the integrity of the data and accuracy of the data analysis. KM, TK, and TS were involved in pathological support. EM, TM, NM, TK, HK, KN, KW, AO, TN, HM were involved in material support. HK was involved in administrative, technical or material support. TT was involved in study supervision. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Shizuoka Cancer Center, Japan (Approval No. T29-17-29-1; July 27, 2017).
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Omori, S., Muramatsu, K., Kawata, T. et al. Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 expression in lung cancer patients and the effects of anti-cancer treatments. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 148, 2455–2463 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-021-03784-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-021-03784-3