p53 tumor suppressor gene protein expression in cervical cancer: relationship to prognosis.
OBJECTIVE
Mutation of the p53 gene can be found in several human tumors. We tested the hypothesis whether overexpression of p53 protein is a parameter of more aggressive disease in patients with cervical cancer.


METHODS
In this study, we describe the effects of p53 overexpression in 156 patients with cervical cancer (Figo stage IB-IV) by assessing expression patterns of the p53 gene product using a monoclonal anti-p53 antibody (DO7).


RESULTS
Overexpression of p53 tumor suppressor gene protein was observed in 30.2% of the tumors, low expression in 30.7% and 39.1% of the tumors showed no p53 immunoreactivity. With increase in stage, p53 overexpression raised from 20.1% in stage IB to 60% in stage IV. A significant correlation between p53 overexpression and disease-free survival of patients was observed, however, after stratification for stage, this effect disappeared.


CONCLUSIONS
The p53 mutation expressed as p53 tumor suppressor gene protein overexpression is a late event in cervical cancer genesis and does not appear to be of prognostic significance in cervical cancer.
Bremer
G L
GL
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Limberg, Netherlands.
Tieboschb
A T
AT
van der Putten
H W
HW
de Haan
J
J
Arends
J W
JW
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009154:Mutation; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal