Analysis of p53 Protein Overexpression in Invasive Cervical Cancer

Kim, Jong Seok; Kim, Soo Nyung; Sohn, In Sook; Lee, Sung Ki; Kim, Ho Guen; Park, Tchan Kyu

Abstract

The p53 gene is a tumor suppressor gene and mutations in this gene play an import-ant role in the development of many human malignancies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the overexpression of p53 protein as a prognostic factor in invasive cervical cancer. Forty-three formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded blocks of invasive cervical can-cers were examined using immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody against p53. The result were as follows : 1. Immunostaining for p53 consistent with overexpression was seen in 23.8%(5 of 21) of stage I cancers and in 13.7%(4 of 22) of stage II cancers. 2. Immunostaining for p53 consistent with overexpression was seen in 21.6%(8 of 37) of squamous cell carciomas and in 0%(0 of 6) of adenocarcinomas. 3. The incidence of p53 overexpression was 25.0%(1 of 4) in cases with lymph node metastasis, compared with 17.9%(7 of 39) in cases without lymph node metastasis. 4.. The incidence of p53 overexpression was 20.0%(8 of 40) in cases with less than 4 cm, compared with 0%(0 of 3) in cases with equal to or larger than 4cm. In conclusion, p53 overexpression was not associated with stage, histologic type, and tumor size. However, there were trend for p53 overexpression to increase in patients with lymph node metastasis.