Gene nm 23 may have an antimetastatic function but relevant data in the literature are ambigu- ous even in the same types of malignant tumors. In a group of 77 lung carcinomas there was not found any relation of gene nm 23 expression to the histologic type of tumor or the level of its differentiation and to the finding of metastases in resected lung materials either. Adenocarcino- mas showed a negative relation of nm 23 expression to later occurence of metastases and to a decreased survival of patients which squamous, neuroendocrine and undifferentiated carcino- mas did not. Unexpected low expression or negativity of nm 23 in tumors of little progression and rare high positivities in some lung carcinomas with metastases could be explained by gene nm 23 mutations or inactivation. Results of the study do not encourage the usage of nm 23 as a reliable prognostic marker in lung carcinomas.

        Key words: gene nm 23 - lung carcinomas - metastases - survival