Abstract: Objective: To assess the value of detection of survivin mRNA in lung cancer tissues.Methods: The specimens and the para-carcinomatous normal tissues of 41 patients with lung cancer and 9 patients with benign pulmonary diseases were collected.Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was performed to detect the survivin mRNA expression in the specimens.All the patients were followed-up for 2 years.The results were analyzed relatively.Results: The positive rate of survivin mRNA in the carcinomatous tissues(70.7%) was higher than that in the para-carcinomatous normal tissues(17.1%) and the benign pulmonary diseases tissues(1/9)(P<0.005).There was no significant difference between the para-carcinomatous normal tissues and the benign pulmonary diseases tissues(P>0.05).survivin mRNA expression was not related to the age,sex,histological subtype,differentiation,pathologic grading or lymph node metastases.Conclusions: Expression of survivin mRNA in the lung cancer tissue can be used as a specific molecular marker for the diagnosis of lung cancer.It can act as an independent prognostic factor.