KIT and PDGFRA in small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) have been rarely examined in Japanese. The author investigated protein expression of KIT and PDGFRA in 54 Japanese cases of small cell lung carcinoma by immunohistochemistry, and gene mutations of KIT and PDGFRA in 20 Japanese cases of small cell lung carcinoma by the PCR-direct sequencing method. The molecular genetic analysis showed no mutations of KIT (exons 9, 11, 13, and 17) and PDGFRA (exons 12 and 18) genes in all 20 cases. KIT protein expression was recognized in all cases (100%). Membranous KIT expression was strong in 35 cases, moderate in 7 cases and weak in 12 cases. PDGFRA protein expression was noted in 35 cases (65%); the membranous expression was strong in 2 cases, moderate in 16 cases, and weak in 17 cases. The overall median survival was 13 months. There was no significant difference in the survival between KIT strongly positive cases (median, 12 months) and KIT moderately or weakly positive cases (median, 11 months). Likewise, there was no significant difference in the survival between PDGFRA-positive cases (median, 11 months) and PDGFRA-negative cases (median, 12 months). The protein expressions of KIT and PDGFRA did not correlate with gender, smoking, and disease stage. These findings suggest, in Japanese population, that mutations of KIT and PDGFRA were absent in small cell lung carcinoma of Japan, that KIT protein expression is present in 100%, that PDGFRA expression is present in 65%, and that KIT and PDGFRA protein expressions do not correlate with survival, gender, smoking, and disease stage.
Keywords: KIT; PDGFRA; Small cell lung carcinoma.