In order to verify the role of angiogenic phenomenon also in SCLC, as we had previously performed in a large series of non-small cell lung tumours (Fontanini et al, 1997a,b,c), a series of 75 SCLC was investigated, with particular reference to vascular count, VEGF and p53 expression. The gene discussed is TP53; the disease is small cell lung carcinoma.