The NCI-N87 epithelial cell line was originally established from the stomach tissue of a male patient with gastric carcinoma. They are extracted from the metastatic site located in the liver. The NCI-N87 cells test positive for myc and ERRBB2 oncogenes, express carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), receptors for muscarinic cholinergic agents and TAG 72 surface glycoproteins.
Derived from the metastatic tumor of a gastric cancer found in the liver of a human patient, NCI-N87 cells are known for their distinct expression of several factors; testing positive for ERBB2, myc, and other oncogenes, NCI-N87 cells are useful tools for research into lung cancer expression pathways. Cost-efficient therapy testing involving the cells can use pre-optimized transfection reagents to ensure realistic results that can translate to in vivo trials in human patients. Currently, there is a necessity for cheap drugs against lung cancer, which is one of the most prevalent cancers in non-developed countries. With more research and gene therapy development, accessible solutions can be found, with broader implications for the treatment of other variations of lung cancer.