Objective   This study aims to examine caveolin-1 expression in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), to investigate the relationship of caveolin-1 expression with clinicopathological features, and to estimate the prognostic value of caveolin-1.

  Methods   Immunohistochemical staining was used to determine caveolin-1 and PCNA expression in LSCC.The correlation among caveolin-1 expression, pathological features, and clinical outcomes were investigated.

  Results   The positive rate of caveolin-1 protein was significantly lower in LSCC than in normal lung tissues (P < 0.001).Caveolin-1 expression was statistically correlated with the TNM stage (P=0.018) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.006).Caveolin-1 expression was also positively correlated with PCNA expression in LSCC (r=0.360;P=0.018).The Kaplan–Meier survival curve showed that patients with positive caveolin-1 expression had a significantly shorter survival time compared with the patients with negative expression (P=0.007).The caveolin-1-positive group had a significantly shorter survival time in 24 patients without lymph node metastasis compared with the negative group (P=0.002).Cox multivariate analysis revealed that patients with caveolin-1 positive expression, high TNM stage, and positive surgical margin had a significantly unfavorable prognosis.

  Conclusion   Caveolin-1 expression is positively correlated with LSSC development as well as progression, and may promote tumor cell proliferation.Caveolin-1 may be used as a poor prognosis marker of LSCC.