[Expressions of p21 and CD44v in human lung cancer and their significance.].

BACKGROUND: To investigate the clinical role of p21 and CD44v in primary lung cancer and their relationship with each other. METHODS: p21 and CD44v expression in 29 frozen lung cancer and 10 corresponding non-cancer tissues were measured by flow cytometry (FCM) . RESULTS: In lung cancer , the expression rates of p21 and CD44v were 75. 9 % and 51. 7 % respectively. The two proteins showed much higher FI values and positive rates in lung cancer than those in non-cancer tissues ( P < 0. 01) . p21 alteration was independent from tumor size ,lymph node metastasis , TNM stage , differentiated grade and histological type. CD44v expression in stage II+III(83. 3 %) was much higher than that in stage I(29. 4 %) ( P < 0. 01) . As compared with lung cancer without lymph node metastasis (33. 3 %) , primary lung cancer with lymph node metastasis showed significantly higher expression rate of CD44v (81. 8 %) ( P < 0. 05) . Coexpression of p21 and CD44v had a distinct statistic significance ( P < 0. 01) . CONCLUSIONS: Abnormality of p21 and CD44v may be involved in the carcinogenesis and development of lung neoplasms in coordination. Immunopositivity of CD44v may suggest a potential of high risk for lymph node metastasis in lung cancer.