Tripartite motif-containing 29 as a novel biomarker in non-small cell lung cancer

Tripartite motif-containing 29 (TRIM29) is a member of the tripartite motif (TRIM) protein family. TRIM29 has been reported to be deregulated in a number of cancer types, suggesting the oncogenic function of TRIM29. However, its clinical significance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, the TRIM29 expression status was investigated by immunohistochemical analysis in paraffin-embedded specimens obtained from 320 patients with surgically resected NSCLC, treated between 2000 and 2007. High TRIM29 expression was significantly associated with smoking (P=0.012), T stage (P=0.015) and M stage (P=0.003). Furthermore, elevated TRIM29 expression level was correlated with reduced overall (OS) and disease-free survival. In addition, high TRIM29 expression was an independent prognostic factor for OS [P=0.003, hazard ratio (HR)=2.102, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.069-3.193]. In conclusion, these results suggest that TRIM29 may be a useful prognostic marker in NSCLC patients and a potential molecular target for NSCLC treatment.