Gene expression profiling of advanced lung cancer

Lung cancer is a highly aggressive neoplasm with 85% mortality. To identify new tumor-associated genes, we compared the expression profile of a primary metastasizing adenocarcinoma with normal airway epithelial cells. Two cDNA libraries of up- and downregulated genes were generated, comprising 253 and 299 clones, respectively. The sequence analysis revealed 205 different known genes and 314 cDNA fragments of unknown functions. Northern-blot analysis of 167 clones confirmed differential expression in 58%, and indicated a similar expression pattern in additional lung-cancer cell lines for selected clones, strengthening the value of this model for the identification of new candidate genes in lung carcinogenesis.