Non invasive study of microsatelite alterations of 3p subjects with non small cell lung cancer.

In a first part of this study we checked for the feasibility of MA (microsatellite alteration) analysis in the EBC-DNA (Exhaled Breath Condensate-DNA) from patients with NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer). Furthermore, differences between results from DNA of healthy subjects and of subjects with cancer, and of EBC-DNA and whole blood DNA (WB-DNA), were compared and the relationships between smoking habit and clinicopathologic tumor features were considered. In the second part of the study we investigated the potentiality of detection of MA in EBC-DNA of subjects with NSCLC or at risk (smokers and ex-smokers) as a tool for tumor susceptibility validating this method by comparing analysis of MA in the breath condensate DNA and in the corresponding paired lung tissue of healthy subjects and patients with NSLC. In conclusion our results provide evidence that it is possible to investigate somatic MA in the breath condensate DNA of NSCLC subjects. Therefore this study, showing that microsatellites EBC profile completely overlap lung cancer feature, gives interesting clinical perspectives into early diagnosis and susceptibility of NSCLC.