Objective: To analyze the aberrant methylation of p16 gene and DAPK gene in sera from primary liver cancer patients ad to evaluate the clinical significance. Methods: A methylation-specific PCR was performed for the detection of promoter hypermethylation of p16 gene and DAPK gene in blood DNA from 64 cases of HCC patients, and to analyze the relation of the aberrant methylation of p16 gene and KAPK gene and the clinical pathological data. Results: 76.6%(49/64) of the sera from 64 cases of HCC patients showed hypermethylation for p16 promoter and 40.6% (26/64) for KAPK promoter, whereas no methylated p16 gene promoter and DAPK gene promoter were found in sera from benign liver diseases patients and normal control. Methylated p16 gene and KAPK gene promoters in sera did not strongly correlated with HBsAg, stage, metastasis and differentiation in HCC; but strongly correlated with AFP. Conclusion: Detection of the aberrant methylation of p16 gene and KAPK gene in blood DNA from HCC patients might offer an effective means for the earlier auxiliary diagnosis of the malignancy.
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