RESUMEN
Purpose To investigate the expression of Axin, β-catenin and p53 in the pleural fluid and to discuss their relationships and significances. Methods The expression of Axin, β-catenin and p53 was detected using immunocytochemistry in adenocarinoma cells of the pleural fluid from 40 patients with primary lung adenocarcinomas or reactive mesothelial cells of the pleural fluid from 40 pa-tients with benign lung diseases. Results Axin positive expression rate was 30% (12/40) in cases with primary lung adenocarcino-mas. The positive expression rate of β-catenin was 15% (6/40) on cell membrane and 60%(24/40) in cytoplasm. The expression rate of p53 was 57. 5% (23/40) in cases of primary lung adenocarcinomas. The expression of Axin was positively correlated with the membranous expression of β-catenin, and negatively correlated with p53 in cancer cells of the pleural fluids. The positive expression rate of Axin was 77. 5% (31/40), but the expression rate of p53 was 1. 25% (5/40). There was no expression ofβ-catenin in reac-tive mesothelial cells from benign lung diseases. Conclusions The expression of Axin is significantly reduced in adenocarcinoma cells. The expression rate ofβ-catenin in cytoplasm is higher than that in membrane of cancer cells. It has a certain value to detect the expression of Axin,β-catenin and p53 for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of lung adenocaicinomas from benign lung diseases.