Complete sequence of p53 gene in 20 patients with lung cancer: comparison with chemosensitivity and immunohistochemistry

In this study the entire p53 complementary DNA has been sequenced in 20 non -small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) and the results correlated with chemose nsitivity, immunohistochemistry and clinical data. Ten patients had mutatio ns in p53, 8 missense mutations and 2 nonsense mutations, The method discov ered two mutations never described previously and two other mutations that have never been described before in connection with NSCLC tumours, Chemosen sitivity data, according to a short-term assay (FMCA), indicated that tumou rs with p53 mutation were more resistant to cisplatin and cyclophosphamide. Immunohistochemical studied demonstrated a 70% concordance between over-ex pression of p53 protein and mutation in p53. No conclusions or trends could be drawn from the immunohistochemical studies of Bcl-2 and Bax.