ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigated p53 gene mutation in plasma of gastric cancer patients. METHODS: DNA extracted from plasma and matched tumor and tumor-adjacent normal tissues of 96 gastric cancer patients, and DNA from 20 healthy people were studied. Exons 5, 6, 7, and 8 of p53 were amplified by PCR. The mutation status was analyzed by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC), followed by direct sequencing of cases with aberrant chromatographic patterns. RESULTS: Heterozygous mutations of p53 gene were detected in 19.9% (19/96) of primary tumor tissues and 5.2% (5/96) of corresponding plasma. All p53 gene mutations detected in plasma DNA consisted with mutations in the matched primary tumor samples. Neither the tumor-adjacent gastric mucosa tissues nor control plasma from healthy volunteers showed p53 gene mutation. No correlation was found between p53 mutation status and clinicopathological features of gastric cancer patients. CONCLUSION: p53 gene mutation in plasma can be detected in tissues and plasma of gastric cancer patients, which could be applied in screening and surveillance of this disease.