연구배경 : RASSF1A는 종양억제유전자 중의 하나로 폐암을 비롯한 다양한 암에서 프로모터지역의 메틸화에 의해서 발현이 억제된다. 저자들은 편평상피폐암 환자에서 RASSF1A 메틸화가 임상 및 병리소견과 어떠한 연관성을 갖는지 조사해 보고자 본 연구를 시행하였다. 방 법 : 81예의 편평상피폐암과 정상 폐조직에서 RASSF1A 메틸화를 methylation specific PCR(MSP) 방법과 염기서열 분석방법에 의해서 실험하였고, 임상 및 병리소견과의 연관성을 통계학적으로 분석하였다. 결 과 : 편평상피폐암에서 RASSF1A메틸화가 37.0%(30/81)에서 관찰되었다. RASSF1A의 메틸화는 세포분화도와 연관이 있었으며(p=0.0097), 생존율과도 연관이 있을 가능성이 있었다(p=0.0635). 그러나, RASSF1A 메틸화와 TNM 병기, 재발 유무, 임파절전이 유무, 흡연양과는 연관이 없었다. 결 론 : RASSF1A 메틸화가 편평상피폐암의 나쁜 예후와 관계 있을 것으로 생각되며, 향후 더 많은 예를 대상으로 한 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.
Background : RASSF1A, which is one of tumor suppressor genes, is frequently inactivated by hypermethylation of the promoter region in a variety of human cancers, including lung cancer. This study was performed to investigate the association between RASSF1A methylation and the clinicopathological factors in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Methods : Eighty-one samples from the patients with squamous cell carcinoma of lung were examined. The promoter methyation of RASSF1A was analyzed by methylation specific PCR and sequencing. Statistical analysis was made to examine the association between RASSF1A methylation and the clinicopathological parameters. Results : RASSF1A methylation was observed in 37.0 % (30 of 81) of the patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. RASSF1A methylation was found to be associated with cellular differentiation(p=0.0097) and the overall survival(p=0.0635). However, there was no association between RASSF1A methylation and the other clinicopathological parameters, such as the pathological TNM stage, the recurrence rate, lymph node invasion and the amount of cigarettes smoked. Conclusion : RASSF1A methylation might be associated with a poor prognosis in patients with squamous carcinoma of the lung. A larger scale study is needed.
