title: Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in non-small cell lung cancer: difference between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In non-small cell lung cancer, a loss of heterozygosity (LOH) is frequently observed; however, few studies have investigated the differences in the LOH status between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a consecutive series of 49 patients with adenocarcinomas and 22 patients with squamous cell carcinomas, the LOH in tumors was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction employing 5 fluorescence-labeled dinucleotide markers (D2S123, D5S107, D10S197, D11SS904, D13S175) and an autosequencer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LOH was more frequently observed in squamous cell carcinoma (20 of 22, 90%) than in adenocarcinomas (33 of 49, 67%) (P=0.0348), and the number of LOH per patient was also higher in the patients with squamous cell carcinoma (2.2+/-1.4) than in those with adenocarcinoma (1.5+/-1.2, P=0.037). In adenocarcinomas, the number of LOH per patients correlated significantly with the pack-year index, whereas the pathological stage significantly affected the number of LOH in squamous cell carcinomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of LOH is relatively uncommon in adenocarcinoma of the lung; however, the incidence of LOH tends to be associated with the smoking status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. iyoshino@surg2.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osoegawa
authors.forename: Tomofumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yohena
authors.forename: Toshifumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kameyama
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oki
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maehara
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity / Q000235:genetics*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects