title: [Transcriptional inactivation of RASSF1A in lung cancer and its clinical significance].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the relationship between the transcriptional expression of RASSF1A (Ras association domain family 1A gene) and oncogenesis and development of lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of RASSF1A mRNA in 47 human lung cancer tissues and matched 47 non-cancer tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1). The RASSF1A mRNA was identified in all non-cancer tissues but not found in 53.2% carcinoma tissues. (2). The rate of loss of RASSF1A mRNA was significantly higher in the patients with positive lymph node metastasis (70.4%) than in those without lymph node metastasis (30.0%) (P < 0.01). (3). Much more frequent in advanced tumor tissues, loss of RASSF1A mRNA was correlated with TNM stage (P < 0.05). (4). No significant association of abnormal RASSF1A expression was identified with histological type, differentiation grade of tumors or age, sex, and smoking index of the patients (all P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RASSF1A is one of the new candidates of tumor suppressor genes. Loss or abnormal down-regulation of RASSF1A mRNA is a frequent event in lung carcinogenesis, which may play an important role in the malignant progression and prognosis of lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Institute (Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Beijing 100021, China.
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Zhi-xiong
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Huai-jing
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Bang-chang
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: De-chao
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Mei-hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Ba-dong
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Cui-yan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D019175:DNA Methylation; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C411762:RASSF1 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins