Abstract: [Abstract] Objective To investigate expression of RhoB and E-cadherin in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer(NSCLC) and their clinical significances. Methods Immunohistochemical staining was applied to detect expression of RhoB and E-cadherin in NSCLC group and control group. Correlations of expression of RhoB and E-cadherin to clinical pathological parameters and prognosis and their correlations were analysed. Results The expression intensities of RhoB and E-cadherin in NSCLC were distinctly lower than those in control group. The expression of RhoB and E-cadherin in NSCLC demonstrated significantly positive relation(r=0.503，P<0.01). The expression of RhoB in NSCLC was significantly different in pathological type, differentiation and lymph node metastasis(P <0.05 or P<0.01).The expression of E-cadherin in NSCLC was significantly different in TNM stage, differentiation and lymph node metastasis(P <0.05 or P<0.01). What’s more, the “coordinated expression” of RhoB and E-cadherin in NSCLC was significantly different in adenosquamous carcinoma, differentiation, TNM stage and lymph node metastasis(P <0.05 or P<0.01). The 3-year survival rates were higher in patients with RhoB high expression(83.93%) than those with low expression(40.00%), while the 3-year survival rates were higher in patients with E-cadherin high expression(85.11%) than those with low expression (44.93%). Further multivariate analysis suggested that both low expression of RhoB and E-cadherin and lymph node metastasis were prognostic indicators for NSCLC(P<0.001). Conclusion The expression of RhoB and E-cadherin shows a good correlation in NSCLC. Detecting the expression of RhoB combined with E-cadherin in NSCLC tissue may give a clue on prognosis of patient.

Key words: carcinoma, non-small-cell lung cancer, immunohistochemistry, prognosis, Kaplan-Meiers estimate, RhoB, E-cadherin