title: [Study on the mutations of p53 and K-ras gene in the cancer tissues and sputum cells of patients with lung cancer].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the mutations of p53 gene and K-ras gene in cancer tissues and sputum cells of patients with lung cancer,and to evaluate their values on detection of lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mutation of exon 5-8 of p53 gene and exon 1 of K-ras gene in cancer tissues and sputum cells was detected in 59 patients with lung cancer and in 14 patients with benign pulmonary lesions as control by PCR-SSCP-AgNO3 staining method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mutation rate of p53 was 37.3%(22/59) in cancer tissues,and 33.9%(20/59) in sputum cells.No significant difference was observed between the two groups (P>0.05).The mutation rate of K-ras gene was 23.7%(14/59) and 20.3%(12/59) in cancer tissues and sputum cells respectively.No mutation of p53 and K-ras was detected both in benign pulmonary lesion tissues and sputum cells in patients with benign pulmonary diseases.The mutation rate of K-ras in adenocarcinoma (44%,11/25) was significantly higher than that in other histological classification of the cancer (8.8%,3/34) (P<0.01).p53 mutation (48.7%) in smokers with lung cancer was significantly higher than that (15%) in nonsmokers with lung cancer (P<0.01).The mutation rate (54.2%) of combination detection of p53 and K-ras in sputum cells was significantly higher than that of p53 (33.9%) or K-ras (20.3%) alone (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined detection of p53 and K-ras mutation in sputum cells of patients with lung cancer may help the diagnosis of lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department,First Affliated Hospital of Hubei Medical University,Wuhan,Hubei 430060,P.R.China.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang