RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the methylation status of 5' CpG island of fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene in plasma and the expression of FHIT protein in cancer tissue of cervical cancer patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Methylation-specific PCR (MS-PCR) was employed to examine methylation of FHIT gene in 151 plasma samples before treatment. The immunohistochemistry was used to the expression of FHIT protein in cancer tissues.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CpG island methylation of FHIT was detected in 31.13% of plasma samples. The expression of FHIT protein was decreased or discarded in 59.60% of cervical cancer tissues. Among them 47.78% was included in methylation positive samples.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CpG island methylation of FHIT gene in plasma plays an important role on cervical cancer, which results in decreased expression of FHIT protein. It can be used to diagnose and evaluate the effect of treatment to cervical cancers.</p>