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Pathological stage is the most important prognostic factor in patients with lung cancer, and is defined according to the tumor node metastasis classification system. The present study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological significance of lymphatic invasion in 103 patients who underwent surgical resection of lung squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC). The patients were divided into two groups, according to the degree of lymphatic invasion: Those with no or mild lymphatic invasion (ly0-1) and those with moderate or severe lymphatic invasion (ly2-3). Ly2-3 was associated with tumor size (P=0.028), lymph node metastasis (P<0.001), venous invasion (P=0.001) and histological differentiation (P=0.047). Statistical analysis using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test indicated that overall survival was significantly reduced in patients with ly2-3 compared with those with ly0-1 (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis identified ly2-3 as an independent predictor of mortality (hazard ratio, 2.580; 95% confidence interval, 1.376-4.839). In conclusion, moderate or severe lymphatic invasion (ly2-3) indicated a high malignant potential and may be considered an independent predictor of poor prognosis in patients with SqCC of the lung. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ki-67 is a nuclear protein that is expressed during the G1, S, G2 and M phases of the mitotic cell cycle. A previous study categorized tumor infiltration patterns (INF), of which INFc indicated cancer nests exhibiting infiltrative growth and an unclear boundary between tumor tissue and surrounding healthy t issue. T he present study used t he K i-67 labeling index (Ki-67 LI) as an indicator of cell proliferation, in order to examine the factors affecting INF in lung squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC). SqCC specimens (89) were classified into two groups: High-grade cell proliferation (Ki-67 LI ≥30%) and low-grade cell proliferation (Ki-67 LI <30%). However, a high Ki-67 LI was significantly associated with cases that had an INFc component [INFc(+); P=0.03]. Univariate analyses indicated that INFc(+) was a predictor of venous invasion [P=0.032; odds ratio (OR), 2.615; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.085-6.305], scirrhous stromal type (P<0.001; OR, 6.462; 95% CI, 2.483-16.817) and high Ki-67 LI (P=0.018; OR, 12.543; 95% CI, 1.531-102.777). Multivariate logistic analyses indicated that high Ki-67 LI was the strongest predictor of INFc(+) (P=0.028; OR, 8.027; 95% CI, 1.248-51.624). In conclusion, high-grade cell proliferation activity may contribute to aggressive infiltrative growth of lung SqCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]