Abstract: Objective: To investigate the p16 tumor suppressor gene promoter ringer methylation status in human lung cancer、 colonic cancer. Methods: To take advantage of methylation specific polymerase chain reaction （MSP） as a main method, the status of 5′CpG island of p16 gene. was analysed. Results: p16 gene from normal lung tissue show only unmethylation status. The human pulmonary giant cell carcinoma cell line （PLA801- D） amplified only with the methylation primers of p16 gene. The positive rate of p16 gene methylation status in lung cancer and colonic cancer was 60%（6/10） and 70%（7/10）, respectively. Conclusion: The methylation status of p16 gene in tumor tissues is one of the innormal type of p16 gene. The detecting of methylation patterns will be possible to become a novel biomarker in detecting early stage cancer. MSP should prove extraordinarily valuable clinically.