In conclusion, our meta-analysis shows that the p16 expression status is an independent prognostic factor in NSCLC, and this tendency is also found in the subgroups of squamous cell lung cancer and early stage NSCLC (I-II), but not in lung adenocarcinoma.
Multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification was used for the detection of p16 HDs in 28 primary small-sized lung adenocarcinomas and 22 metastatic lung adenocarcinomas to the brain.
Aberrant methylation of the promoter region of the p16 gene and loss of expression of its product were in accord with the multistep progression of peripheral-type lung adenocarcinoma, and these alterations were associated closely with poor prognosis of the disease.
Therefore, controlling and monitoring for hypermethylation of the p16 gene may be partially useful for treatment and early diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the lung.
These findings suggest that p16 gene alteration is a rare event in primary lung adenocarcinomas in Japanese non-smoking females, compared with alterations of the p53 gene.