Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 4 Is Not An Independent Prognostic Biomarker In Patients With Lung Adenocarcinoma

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) in lung adenocarcinoma. The expression of FGFR4 in 128 samples of lung adenocarcinoma was assessed with quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry. The correlations between FGFR4 and clinicopathologic features were analyzed with Chi-square test. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox regression model were also used to evaluate the prognostic value of FGFR4. The results showed that FGFR4 expression was lower in non-small cell lung cancer (23.4%, 30/128), which was significantly associated with T stage (P=0.02), N stage (P=0.02), TNM stage (P=0.03), pleural invasion (P=0.03) and differentiation (P=0.02). Univariate analysis showed that FGFR expression was significantly associated with 5-year survival in lung adenocarcinoma. However, multivariate analysis (P=0.877) did not support FGFR4 as an independent prognostic factor in lung adenocarcinoma. In conclusion, FGFR4 expression was not an independent prognostic biomarker in patients with lung adenocarcinoma and further larger randomized controlled studies were needed to elucidate the significance of FGFR4 in lung adenocarcinoma.