[Analysis of oncogenes and suppressor genes in lung cancer and bronchial lesions from high risk group]

The authors investigated methods for analysis of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in lung cancers and bronchial lesions from high risk patients (retired poison gas factory workers). Amplifications of C-, L-, N-myc, length of terminal repeat array (TRA), mutations of p53 gene, p53 mRNA and K-ras genes were analysed in frozen specimens of surgically resected lung cancers. Various lesions including dysplasia, squamous metaplasia, goblet cell metaplasia, and basal cell hyperplasia were detected in the bronchial epithelium of biopsied specimens from retired poison gas factory workers. Analysis of p53 gene and k-ras gene mutations was performed on these formalin fixed, paraffin embedded samples, but no evidence of mutation has been found to date.