[Molecular diagnosis of lung carcinoma]

For lung cancer diagnosis, the diagnostic significance of the ras, myc, erbB2 oncogenes, and the p53 anti-oncogene was reviewed. Point mutation of the ras oncogene, amplification of the myc oncogene, and overexpression of the erbB2 oncogene are associated with poor prognosis of lung carcinomas. Mutation of p53 anti-oncogene is a common event of lung carcinoma and the differences in its mutation pattern can be used for the molecular diagnosis of multicentric lung carcinomas.