[Detection of hypermethylation of p16 gene in plasma DNA from lung cancer patients].
OBJECTIVE
To detect hyper methylation of p16 gene in plasma DNA from patients with lung cancer, and to assess its potential as a malignant marker.


METHODS
Using a modified semi-nested methylation-specific PCR (MSP), the status of methylation of the p16 was investigated in plasma DNA from 137 lung cancer patients and 112 matched tumor tissues.


RESULTS
Hypermethylation of the p16 was present in 75.2% (103/137) of the plasma samples and 80.4% (90/112) of the tumor tissues. Hypermethylation of the p16 in the plasma was detected in 77.9% squamous-cell carcinoma, 65.1% adenocarcionma, 75.1% adeno-squamous-cell carcinoma, and 91.7% small-cell lung cancer. Only in those patients whose tumor tissues had hypermethylation of p16 gene, similar changes could be detected in their plasma samples. Hypermethylation of the p16 in plasma and the corresponding tumor tissues was not significantly correlated with the clinical stage and pathological type of the tumor.


CONCLUSIONS
The result indicates that hypermethylation of the p16 may be a useful marker in the auxiliary diagnosis of lung cancer.
Liu
Jin-Yi
JY
Cancer Institute (Hospital), Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100021, China.
An
Qian
Q
Xu
Guan-Dong
GD
Lei
Wen-Dong
WD
Feng
Xiao-Li
XL
Guo
Su-Ping
SP
Cheng
Shu-Jun
SJ
Gao
Yan-Ning
YN
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D019942:Genes, p16; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D004247:DNA