Expression of EGFR protein in lung SCC cells, lung ADC cells and the control of non-cancerous lung tissue were detected by IHC using specific antibody as described in the section of materials and methods.

<p>Strong positive staining of EGFR protein was found in cell membranes and cytoplasm of lung SCC and lung ADC cells (Fig 2A and 2B, 20×, IHC, DAB staining). Negative staining of EGFR was showed in non-cancerous lung tissue (Fig 2C, 20×, IHC, DAB staining). Negative control showed no EGFR staining in the lung SCC cells (Fig 2D, 20×, IHC, DAB staining).</p

Expression of Flot-2 and EGFR proteins in lung SCC and lung ADC compared to the control of non-cancerous lung tissues.

<p>Results showed that there were significant differences between the groups which were statistically evaluated by chi-square test.</p

Kaplan-Meier cures for overall survival of lung SCC and ADC patients with expression of Flot-2 and EGFR.

<p>Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to plot the overall survival curves of 159 cases of lung SCC and 193 cases of lung ADC patients with differential expression of Flot-2, EGFR, and combined expression of either of these two proteins, which statistical significance was assessed by log-rank test. (A) Lung SCC patients with positive expression of Flot-2 protein showed worse overall survival rates compared to patients with negative Flot-2 (P = 0.043, two sided). (B) Positive expression of EGFR had no significantly correlation with overall survival rates of lung SCC patients (P> 0.05, two sided). (C) Kaplan-Meier curves showed lung SCC patients with positive expression with either of Flot-2 and EGFR proteins had worse overall survival rates than these with all negative staining of two proteins above (P = 0.02, two sided). (D) Lung ADC patients with positive expression of Flot-2 had worse overall survival rates than that with negative one (P = 0.007, two sided, respectively). (E) Lung ADC patients with positive expression of EGFR had worse overall survival rates than that with negative one (P = 0.033, two sided, respectively). (F) Lung ADC patients with positive expression with either of Flot-2 and EGFR proteins showed worse overall survival rates compared with all negative staining of two proteins above (P = 0.005, two sided).</p

Expression of Flot-2 protein in lung SCC cells, lung ADC cells and control of non-cancerous lung tissues were detected by IHC using specific antibody as described in the section of materials and methods.

<p>Strong positive staining of Flot-2 protein was found on cell membranes of lung SCC and lung ADC cells (Fig 1A and 1B, 20×, IHC, DAB staining). Negative staining of Flot-2 was showed in non-cancerous lung tissue (Fig 1C, 20×, IHC, DAB staining). Negative control showed no Flot-2 staining in lung ADC cells (Fig 1D, 20×, IHC, DAB staining).</p

352 cases of non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient’s characteristics.

<p>352 cases of non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient’s characteristics.</p

Kaplan-Meier overall survival curves of NPC patients with expression of p-Akt, p-4EBP1 and p-p70S6K proteins and different clinicopathological characteristics.

<p>Kaplan-Meier analysis to plot the survival curve of 248 cases of NPC with expression of p-Akt, p-4EBP1 and p-p70S6K and clinicopathological characteristics and statistical significance were assessed using the log-rank test. Fig. 2A: Positive expression of p-Akt had no significantly correlation with overall survival rates of NPC patients (<i>P</i>>0.05, two sided). Fig. 2B: Kaplan-Meier curves showed worse overall survival rates for NPC patients with positive expression of p-p70S6K protein compared to patients with p-p70S6K negative staining (<i>P</i> = 0.038, two sided). Fig. 2C: Kaplan-Meier curves showed worse overall survival rates for NPC patients with positive expression of p-4EBP1 protein compared to patients with p-4EBP1 negative staining (<i>P</i> = 0.037, two sided). Fig. 2D: Kaplan-Meier curves showed worse overall survival rates for NPC patients with either of p-Akt, p-p70S6K and p-4EBP1 positive expression compared to patients with common negative staining of three proteins above (<i>P</i> = 0.001, two sided).</p

Multivariate logistic regression analysis of lymph node metastasis factors in NPC patients.

<p>95% CI: 95%confidence interval.</p><p>*<i>P</i><0.05.</p

Kaplan-Meier curve for overall survival of NPC patients with expression of Flot-2 and different clinicopathological characteristics.

<p>Kaplan-Meier analysis to plot the overall survival curves of all 134 NPC patients with expression of Flot-2 and different clinicopathological characteristics and statistical significance was assessed using the long-rank test. Fig 3A Expression of Flot-2 protein in the NPC patients was no significantly related to their prognosis (P>0.05, two sided). Fig 3B NPC patients with lymph node metastasis were significantly related to poor prognosis compared to those patients without lymph node metastasis (P = 0.009, two sided). Fig 3C NPC patients with clinical stage III-IV were significantly related to poor prognosis compared to those patients with clinical stage I-II (P = 0.005, two sided).</p

Summary of multivariate analysis of Cox proportional hazard regression for overall survival in 248 cases of NPC.

<p><b>Abbreviations:</b> LNM, lymph node metastasis; CI, confidence interval.</p><p><b>Note:</b> multivariate analysis of Cox regression,*:p<0.05.</p><p>Summary of multivariate analysis of Cox proportional hazard regression for overall survival in 248 cases of NPC.</p

Expression of Flot-2 protein in NPC, atypical hyperplasia epithelial cells and control nasopharyngeal epithelial cells was detected by IHC.

<p>The expression of Flot-2 protein was detected by immunohistochemistry using specific antibody as described in the section of materials and methods. Strong positive expression of Flot-2 protein was found in NPC cell membranes (Fig 1A, 20×, IHC, DAB staining). Weak Flot-2 membrane-staining was showed in the atypical hyperplasia epithelial cells (Fig 1B, 20×, IHC, DAB staining). Negative staining of Flot-2 was showed that in the control nasopharyngeal epithelial cells (Fig 1C, 20×, IHC, DAB staining). Negative control showed no Flot-2 staining in the NPC cells (Fig 1D, 20×, IHC, DAB staining).</p