Aim: We investigated melanoma‐associated antigen A1 (MAGE‐A1) expression in lung cancer tissues and its correlation with prognostic factors. Materials and Methods: In this cross‐sectional study, samples from 101 patients with lung cancer were obtained between 2007 and 2014 and stained for MAGE‐A1 by immunohistochemistry. Correlation with prognostic factors was assessed by t test, and χ2, and Pearson's tests. Results: Eighty non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 21 small‐cell lung cancer specimens were stained for MAGE‐A1. MAGE‐A1 was detected more commonly in adenocarcinomas and was expressed more frequently in male and patients >60 years. Conclusions: MAGE‐A1 was found in several lung cancer patients. MAGE‐A1 was expressed more commonly in NSCLC, elderly, and men. Further investigations are needed to assess MAGE‐A1 as potential cancer biomarkers. Immunohistochemical staining of melanoma‐associated antigen A1 (MAGE‐1) antigen. The expression of MAGE‐1 protein is identified in the normal testis (a), strong nuclear and cytoplasmic staining of most of neoplastic cells (b), strong nuclear staining of about 30% of neoplastic cells with cytoplasmic sparing (c), and strong nuclear and cytoplasmic staining of most of neoplastic cells (d) of differentiated lung squamous cell carcinoma. In both cases antibody binding is indicated by brown staining (magnification, ×100, hemotoxylin and eosin staining). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]