We used real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) to detect survivin, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), cytokeratin-7 (CK-7) and thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) mRNA expression levels in 68 advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients and 30 healthy patients. This evidence concerns the gene NKX2-1 and lung adenocarcinoma.