Objective: To determine methylation levels of DAPKI, MGMT, FAS, TRAIL-RI and p73 genes in formalin fixed, paraffin embedded [FFPE] tissues from patients with cervical cancer stage I-IV using high resolution melting [HRM].

Materials and Methods: DNA was extracted from FFPE of 63 cervical cancer specimens and 42 normal specimens. Methylation levels of DAPKI, MGMT, FAS, TRAIL-RI and p73 genes were detected by HRM.

Results: The methylation levels of DAPKI, FAS, TRAIL-RI and p73 genes showed statistically significant differences between the disease and the control cases (p<0.005). In contrast, the
methylation of MGMT showed no significant difference between the disease and the control cases. DAPKI methylation level was associated with squamous cell carcinoma patients.

Conclusion: DAPKI, FAS, TRAIL-RI and p73 are aberrantly methylated in cervical cancer compared with normal tissue, while MGMT is less commonly methylated. HRM can be used for DNA methylation assessment of genes of interest in cervical cancer FFPE specimens.

Keywords: Cervical cancer, DNA methylation, High resolution melting [HRM], Epigenetics, Disease markers