Relationship of p53 molecular abnormalities with flow cytometry and growth factor receptor content in lung cancer

This study attempts to clarify the oncological significance of the p53 molecular abnormalities and p53 expression in lung cancer (LC) and their relationship with flow cytometry (FC) parameters and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The study includes 65 samples taken from both LC and normal lung (NL). The p53 molecular abnormalities of exons 4–8 were studied by single strand conformation polymorphisms (SSCP) and the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of exon 4 by the Metzler method. P53 protein was detected by Western blot. EGFR was determined by a radioligand assay using [ 125I]EGF. The FC parameters S phase fraction (SPF), DNA index (D.I.), G1G0 and growth rate (G2M+SPF) were evaluated from cellular monosuspensions. The LC with SSCP p53 molecular abnormalities have a significantly higher EGFR content ( P