[Expression of survivin mRNA of sputum and pleural effusions in human lung cancer].

Objective: To determine the diagnostic value of the expression of survivin mRNA in sputum samples and pleural effusions in lung cancer.

Methods: The sputum samples of 104 patients with lung cancer and 30 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and the pleural effusion of 56 patients with lung cancer and 30 patients with tuberculosis pleural effusions were detected.Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to detect the survivin mRNA expression in the specimens. The results were compared with their cytological examinations.

Results: The sensitivity of the cytological examinations combined with the detection of survivin mRNA in sputum samples was higher than that of either cytological examination or survivin mRNA detection of sputum samples alone (P<0.01). The sensitivity of the diagnosis for lung cancer increased from 37.5% (sputum cytology alone) to 78.8% (sputum survivin mRNA detection combined with sputum cytology) (P<0.01), and the negative predictive value increased from 31.6% (sputum cytology alone) to 43.5% (sputum survivin mRNA detection combined with sputum cytology) (P<0.01). The sensitivity of the cytological examinations combined with the detection of survivin mRNA in pleural effusion samples was higher than that of cytological examination of pleural effusion samples alone (P<0.01). The sensitivity of the diagnosis for lung cancer increased from 42.9% (pleural effusion cytology alone) to 80.4% (pleural effusion survivin mRNA detection combined with cytology) (P<0.01), and the negative predictive value increased from 48.4% (pleural effusion cytology alone) to 77.8% (pleural effusion survivin mRNA detection combined with cytology) (P<0.01).

Conclusion: The detection of survivin mRNA from sputum samples and pleural effusions samples is a new diagnostic method for lung cancer.