Wang X, et al. - Researchers examined 142 surgically resected stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients to determine the expression of inhibitors of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit epsilon (IKBKE) and TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) as well as their prognostic role in stage I NSCLC. Of overall participants, 121 (85.2%) and 114 (80.3%) had IKBKE and TBK1 expressed, respectively. A significant association of IKBKE expression with TBK1 expression was evident. The link between IKBKE and TBK1 expression and clinicopathologic features in stage I NSCLC patients is inquired for the first time ever in this study. Findings revealed a significantly clear presence of IKBKE+/TBK1+ co-expression in patients with risk factors and with recurrence pattern of distant metastasis. For poor overall survival, the efficacy of IKBKE+/TBK1+ as a prognostic predictor was shown in this study.