[The clinical significance of detection of p53 gene mutation in patients with lung cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the value of detection of p53 gene mutation in bronchial biopsy and sputum samples for the diagnosis of lung cancer.


METHODS
Bronchial biopsy and sputum samples were collected from 120 patients confirmed to have lung cancer and 40 patients with benign pulmonary diseases. Polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism-AgNOS(3) staining method (PCR-SSCP) was performed for the detection of point mutation at exon 5 - 8 of the p53 gene.


RESULTS
The positive rates of p53 point mutation in the carcinomatous tissue, the para-carcinomatous tissue, the contralateral bronchial tissue and the sputum from patients with lung cancer were 60% (36/60), 17% (10/60), 5% (3/60) and 43% (26/60), respectively (P < 0.05). In patients with benign pulmonary diseases, p53 point mutation in bronchial biopsy sample was detected in only one case (5%). The positive rate for the diagnosis of lung cancer increased from 48% (cytology alone) to 68% when the detection of p53 point mutation and cytological examination for sputum samples were combined.


CONCLUSIONS
Detection of p53 gene mutation with PCR-SSCP-silver stain combined with cytological examination of sputum samples can improve the diagnosis of lung cancer.
Chen
Yuqing
Y
Department of Pulmonology, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University Medical College, Shanghai 200032, China.
Cai
Yingyun
Y
Liu
Liming
L
Wang
Anchao
A
Wang
Jiong
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational