DNA-PKcs and Ku70 are predictive markers for poor prognosis of patients with gall bladder malignancies.

Gall bladder cancers (GBCs) are highly resistant to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the key molecular mechanisms responsible for therapeutic resistance have not been identified. In this study, the expression of DNA-PKcs and Ku70 in 46 squamous cell/adenosquamous carcinomas (SC/ASCs) and 80 adenocarcinomas (ACs) were examined by immunohistochemical analysis. Positive DNA-PKcs and Ku70 expression were significantly associated with less lymph node metastasis, invasion, and low TNM stage of SC/ASCs and ACs. Univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that loss of DNA-PKcs and Ku70 expression significantly correlated with decreased survival in both SC/ASC and AC patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that loss of DNA-PKcs and Ku70 expression was an independent poor prognostic predictor in both SC/ASC and AC patients. Our study suggested that DNA-PKcs and Ku70 are tumor suppressors, and loss of DNA-PKcs and Ku70 expression is an important biological marker for metastasis, invasion, and prognosis of GBC. Currently, there is no implication of DNA-PKcs and Ku70 expression in chemoresistance or radioresistance in GBC.