Gender comparisons in human lung cancer: analysis of p53 mutations, anti-p53 serum antibodies and C-erbB-2 expression

Our plain-English summary of Gender comparisons in human lung cancer: analysis of p53 mutations, anti-p53 serum antibodies and C-erbB-2 expression, by D.G. Guinee, W.D. Travis, G.E. Trivers, et al (Carcinogenesis, 1995).

The study

• Authors: D.G. Guinee, W.D. Travis, G.E. Trivers, V.M. De Benedetti, H. Cawley, J.A. Welsh, W.P. Bennett, J. Jett, T.V. Colby, H. Tazelaar
• Journal: Carcinogenesis
• Published: 1995;16(5):993-1002
• Cited by: 131 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Little is known about the molecular mechanisms of lung carcinogenesis in women. We initiated an investigation of the role of gender in pulmonary carcinogenesis by analysis of p53 mutations, immunohistochemistry, serum antibodies and c-erbB-2 expression in a series of 63 male and 44 female lung cancer patients whose tumors were resected at the Mayo Clinic between 1991 and 1992. There were 102 smokers and 5 never smoked. Adenocarcinoma was the more frequent histological type in women (62%) than in men (41%). Sequence analysis of exons 5-8 in 42 females and 49 males identified 44 p53 mutations in 42 tumors (46%). Base substitution mutations showed a preponderance of G:C-->T:A transversions, which were more frequent in women than men (40 versus 25%) and in individuals exposed to asbestos. c-erbB-2 immunohistochemical staining was identified more frequently in females (nine cases) than males (two cases). Marked immunohistochemical staining for p53 positively correlated with the presence of missense mutations in exons 5-8 (81%, P < 0.001). Seven missense mutations (four in exon 5, two in exon 6, one in exon 8) were identified in five of nine patients who had serum antibodies recognizing p53; tumors from these patients were also strongly positive for p53 by immunohistochemistry. These and other results indicate gender differences in the genetic and biochemical alterations in lung cancer and generate hypothesis regarding gender differences in lung cancer susceptibility.

In plain English

This study examined lung tumors removed at the Mayo Clinic in 1991 and 1992 from 107 patients (63 men, 44 women), 102 of whom had smoked. The authors compared men and women for p53 gene mutations, tumor staining for the p53 and c-erbB-2 proteins, and blood antibodies to p53. Among 91 tumors that could be sequenced, 44 p53 mutations were found in 42 tumors (46%). One mutation type, the G:C to T:A transversion, made up 40% of mutations in women (8 of 20) and 25% in men (6 of 24). The authors said this difference approached but did not reach statistical significance. Of 24 patients who reported asbestos-related work, 5 (21%) had this mutation type, compared with 8 (10%) of patients without asbestos exposure. The authors described this as a tendency and said its reason was unclear. Fiber types were not reported. c-erbB-2 staining was found in 9 of 44 women's tumors and 2 of 63 men's tumors. The authors concluded that their study provides evidence of gender differences in the genetic and biochemical changes in lung cancer.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Laboratory (molecular) analysis of tumors from a prospective cohort of surgically treated lung cancer patients, comparing men and women
• Who was studied: 107 patients (63 men, 44 women) whose primary lung cancers were resected at the Mayo Clinic, 1991 to 1992; 102 had smoked cigarettes
• Exposure: Mainly cigarette smoking. Occupational exposure was recorded by questionnaire, and 24 patients reported a prior history of work in an asbestos-related occupation. Fiber types and doses were not reported.
• Main results:
  • In the 91 tumors with successful sequencing of p53 exons 5-8, 44 mutations were found in 42 tumors (46%)
  • G:C to T:A transversions made up 8 of 20 mutations (40%) in women and 6 of 24 (25%) in men
  • Among 24 patients reporting asbestos-related work, 5 (21%) had G:C to T:A transversions, compared with 8 (10%) in patients without prior asbestos exposure. The authors described this as a tendency, especially prominent in men.
  • c-erbB-2 staining was detected in 9 of 44 tumors from women (20.5%) and 2 of 63 tumors from men (3.2%)
  • p53 mutations were found less often in adenocarcinomas (13 of 46, 28%) than in large cell and squamous cell carcinomas (14 of 22, 64% each)
  • Marked p53 staining in tumor tissue went with missense mutations in exons 5-8 in 25 of 31 cases (81%); P less than 0.001
  • Serum antibodies to p53 were found in 9 of 107 patients (8.4%)
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that their study provides evidence of gender differences in the genetic and biochemical alterations in lung cancer, and that the findings generate hypotheses about gender differences in lung cancer susceptibility.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The difference between women and men in G:C to T:A transversions did not reach statistical significance
  • Women tended to be diagnosed at a later stage, which may partly explain their higher frequency of transversions
  • p53 sequencing failed or was incomplete for 16 of the 107 tumors

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Lung cancer.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Lung Cancer, Carcinogenesis, Immunohistochemistry, Adenocarcinoma.

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