CAIX was overexpressed in only 9% of the tumors examined in the present study, which is lower than that reported in other studies on NSCLC cohorts, in which 24% to 38% of tumors showed overexpressed CAIX protein.60, 62, 63 In the present study, when CAIX overexpression was not different between N groups, its correlation with the mesenchymal marker CDH2 and partial EMT was only observed in the N+ group. This evidence concerns the gene CDH2 and non-small cell lung carcinoma.