OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between survivin mRNA and protein expression and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

METHODSSurvivin mRNA and protein were detected by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical S-P staining respectively.

RESULTSAmong 64 cases of NPC, 42 cases (65.6%) were positive for survivin mRNA expression, 30 cases (46.9%) had high expression level. In 46 cases (71.9%) of NPC were positive for survivin protein expression, and 38 cases (59.4%) had high expression level. In 22 cases of NPC with detailed clinical information, the positive expression rates of survivin mRNA and protein in stages III+ IV of NPC were 66.7% and 61.1% respectively, which were higher than those in stages I+ II of NPC (50.0% and 50.0% respectively). There was no significant difference between survivin mRNA and protein expression regarding age or gender of NPC patients (all P> 0.05). The positive expression rates of survivin mRNA and protein in chronic nasopharyngitis group were 33.3% and 23.3% respectively, which were lower than those in NPC group (chi (2)= 12.04, P< 0.01 and chi (2)= 19.57, P< 0.01, respectively). In 64 cases of NPC, 36 cases were positive for both survivin mRNA and protein, and the expression of survivin mRNA and protein showed positive correlation (phi = 0.43).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of survivin gene may play some roles in the pathogenesis of NPC. Detection of survivin mRNA and protein will be helpful for diagnosis, clinical staging and prognosis of NPC.