Bronchial biopsies of 21 patients with lung cancer were analyzed by We
stern blot for stress protein HSP70 and p53 proteins. Squamous carcino
ma was the most common type found. The p53 protein was detectable in 1
4 cases. The HSP70 was detectable in 17 and overexpressed in 9 patient
s. Eleven patients showed positivity for both protein expressions, how
ever no statistical significance was found (Kappa's test, p>0.05). Spe
cific associations were not observed for HSP70 overexpression and p53
detection that could be related to clinical finds or tabagism. Our res
ults indicate that the stress protein HSP70 is detectable and may be i
nvolved in the tumor development.