The NSCLC showing high (++) levels of MRP gene expression (19 out of 33, 57.6%) were predominantly squamous cell carcinomas (Ad, 5; Sq, 13; La, 1) (P < 0.05).
Furthermore, MRP expression in 4 squamous-cell carcinomas (L13, 18, 19 and 20) was more than 3.6 times higher than in KB-3-1 cells, and the average MRP mRNA expression level of all squamous-cell carcinomas was significantly higher than that of adenocarcinoma of the lung and of colorectal and gastric carcinomas.
It was found that the increased expression of the MRP1 gene was associated with the following subgroups of patients: Non‑smokers vs. smokers (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.17‑5.54; P=0.019); adenocarcinoma vs. squamous cell carcinoma (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.16‑2.17; P=0.004); clinical stage III‑IV vs. stage I‑II (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.11‑1.66; P=0.003); lymph node metastases (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.09‑1.61; P=0.005); poor response to chemotherapy (OR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.23‑0.72; P=0.002) and reduced 3‑year survival rate (OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.23‑0.68; P=0.001).