Immunology
Overall the cumulative survival rate of patients with p53 expression was lower than that of the patients without expression and the prognostic value of p53 appears to be highly significant in surgically resected cases of squamous cell carcinoma.
Abstract
The tumour suppressor gene p53 is believed to play an important role in the progression of human malignant tumours through mutation or over-expression. To examine the clinical significance of the expression and accumulation of P53 in oesophageal cancer, 100 formalin fixed parffin-embedded, specimens of oesophageal cancer wer analysed immuno-histochemically using a monoclonal antibody ( DO-7, DAKO)and microwave oven heating method. Cell proliferation index for all tumours was calculated from immunostaining with the MIB-1 monoclonal antibody and correlated with clinical parameters as well as p53 status. Ofthe 100 tumours 39% were adenocarcinoma, 54% squamous cell carcinoma, 3% oat cell carcinoma and 4% undifferentiated. 29% of all the tumours were P53 negative 71% p53 positive with a mean positivity percentage of 59.4 SD 25.4. The age, sex, site, tumour differentiation , lymph node status, distal metastases, trment and survival was correlated to p53 status and cell proliferation index. Correlation's were found between p53 status / proliferation index (p<O.OOl), treatment, stage and survival (p<0.005). Overall the cumulative survival rate of patients with p53 expression was lower than that of the patients without expression (P<0.05). The prognostic value of p53 appears to be highly significant in surgically resected cases of squamous cell carcinoma (p<0.02).