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).
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.
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).