Expression of p21WAF1/CIP1/SDI1 in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer ; Its Relationship with p53 Expression and Prognostic Factors

Kim, B S; Lee, S K; Lee, J H; Kim, S B

Abstract

The p21WAF1/CIP1/SDI1 protein is a potent inhibitor of cyclin dependent kinases. The tumor growth suppressor WAF1/CIP1/SDI1 was shown to be induced not only by p53 but also by other mechanisms. p21 expression in human neoplasms may be differentially regulated in a tissue specific way. The present study was designed to know the frequency of p21 expression and relationship between p21 expression and p53 expression, prognostic factors in epithelial ovarian cancer. We used paraffine embedded block of epithelial ovarian cancer from 38 patients treated at Kyung-Hee university between 1982 and 1992. Immunohistochemically stained p21 was seen in 47.3% of epithelial ovarian cancer, in 41.7% of borderline malignancy but not in normal ovary. We could not found any relationship between p21 and p53 expression, therefore we suggested that p21 expression was induced not only by p53 dependent pathway but also p53 independent pathway in epithelial ovarian cancer. There was no significant relationship between p21 expression and clinicopathological parameters including stage, grade, histological type, age except tumor size. The present study suggested that p21 expression could not be utilized as a good prognostic factor in epithelial ovarian cancer.