The diagnostic value of determination of p16 methylation of sputum exfoliated cells for peripheral lung cancer / 中国肺癌杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To study the diagnostic value of detection of p16 methylation of sputum exfoliated cells for peripheral lung cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Before operation, p16 methylation of the sputum exfoliated cells was detected in 20 normal persons and 50 patients with peripheral pulmonary nodi by p16 methylation-specific PCR (MSP) for judging the nature of the nodi. The results were compared with pathological reports after operation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The p16 MSP positive rate of sputum exfoliated cells of peripheral lung cancer patients (27/44, 61.4%) was much higher than that of benign pulmonary nodi (1/6, 16.7%) and normal persons (3/20, 15.0%)(Chi-Square=4.281 and 11.869 respectively, both P < 0.05). No significant difference of p16 MSP positive rate of sputum exfoliated cells was found between benign pulmonary nodi and normal persons (Chi-Square= 0.136, P > 0.05). No significant difference of p16 MSP positive rate of sputum exfoliated cells was found between squamous cell carcinoma (13/18, 72.2%) and adenocarcinoma (8/19, 42.1%) (Chi-Square=3.416, P > 0.05 ). If the positive p16 MSP of sputum was chosen as criterion for peripheral lung cancer, its positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity and specificity were 96.4%, 22.7%, 61.4% and 83.0% respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The detection of p16 methylation of sputum exfoliated cells is contributable to the diagnosis of lung cancer.</p>