title: [mRNA expression of MAGE genes in benign and malignant pleural effusion].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Melanoma antigen genes (MAGE) are tumor specific genes. The aim of this study is to explore the feasibility of MAGE genes detection as a diagnostic method for malignant pleural effusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of MAGE-1, -2, -3 and -4 mRNA was detected in 18 benign and 22 malignant pleural effusion samples by RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No MAGE gene expressed in the 18 cases of benign pleural effusion. Out of the 22 cases of malignant pleural effusion, 8 cases were positive by cytological examination, who all showed positive expression of MAGA genes; in the other 14 patients who were positive by pleural biopsy but negative by cytological examination, 11 cases showed positive expression of MAGE genes in both the pleural effusion and pleura samples, while the other 3 cases showed negative MAGE expression in both the pleural effusion and pleura samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detection of MAGE genes in pleural effusion may be an effective method in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant pleural effusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100044, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Hongjiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guanchao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Danlei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang