Objective: To study the expression of △Np73, an isoform of the p53 homologue p73, in the different stages of human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the association of△Np73 expression with in patient survival. Methods: Semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to study the expression of△Np73 mRNA in 51 resected NSCLC tissues. Its relation to clinicopathological factors and survival outcome were analyzed. Results: The positive rate and expression level of△Np73 mRNA in the cancer tissues were significantly higher than that in the matched non-cancer lung tissues. The incidence of positive expression of△Np73 was 50. 0% , 52. 6% , and 87. 5% in patients with stageⅠ,Ⅱ, andⅢ, respectively. Positive expression of△Np73 was associated with pathological TNM stage (P = 0. 046), while not with age, gender, histological type and differentiation status. Survival rate of patients with high△Np73 mRNA was significantly poorer than those with low△Np73 mRNA levels (P<0. 001). Multivariate analysis revealed that△Np73 mRNA levels were a significant prognostic factor, independent of the other conventional prognostic factors. Conclusion: NSCLC has over-expression of△Np73 mRNA, which is closely related to TNM stages and prognosis of patients with NSCLC. These results suggest that measurement of△Np73 mRNA levels in tumor tissues might be useful as a promising predictor for the prognosis of patients with NSCLC. Objective: To study the expression of ΔNp73, an isoform of the p53 homologue p73, in the different stages of human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the association of ΔNp73 expression with in patient survival. Methods: Semi- quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to study the expression of △ Np73 mRNA in 51 resected NSCLC tissues. Its relation to clinicopathological factors and survival outcome was analyzed. Results: The positive rate and expression level of △ Np73 mRNA in the cancer tissues were significantly higher than that in the matched non-cancer lung tissues. The incidence of positive expression of ΔNp73 was 50. 0%, 52. 6%, and 87. 5% in patients with stage I, II, and III , respectively. While positive expression of △ Np73 was associated with pathological TNM stage (P = 0. 046), while not with age, gender, histological type and differentiation status. Survival rate of patients with high △ Np73 mRNA was significantly poorer than with low Δ Np73 mRNA levels (P <0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that ΔNp73 mRNA levels were a significant prognostic factor, independent of the other conventional prognostic factors. Conclusion: NSCLC has over-expression of △ Np73 mRNA, which is is These results suggest that measurement of △ Np73 mRNA levels in the tumor tissues might be useful as a promising predictor for the prognosis of patients with NSCLC.