p53 status is neither a predictive nor a prognostic variable in patients with advanced ovarian cancer treated with a paclitaxel-based regimen.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between p53 status and the clinical outcome of patients with advanced ovarian cancer treated with a paclitaxel-based regimen.


METHODS
The investigation was conducted on 38 patients with FIGO stage III-IV ovarian cancer from whom tumor tissue samples for p53 protein immunostaining were obtained during initial cytoreductive surgery. All these patients subsequently received six cycles of first-line combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 (3-hour infusion) plus carboplatin AUC 6 with or without epidoxorubicin 75 mg/m2.


RESULTS
Positive p53 immunostaining was detected in tissue samples collected from 24 (63.2%) ovarian cancers. A clinical complete response was obtained in 14 (58.3%) of the 24 patients with positive p53 immunostaining compared to 9 (64.3%) of the 14 patients with negative p53 immunostaining (p = 0.717). A pathological complete response was found in 6 (25.0%) of the former compared to 4 (28.6%) of the latter (p = 0.956). Similarly, survival did not correlate with p53 status (p = 0.1271).


CONCLUSIONS
p53 status seems to be neither a predictive nor a prognostic variable in patients with advanced ovarian cancer treated with a paclitaxel-based regimen. These results are consistent with experimental data showing that paclitaxel cytotoxicity in ovarian cancer is likely to be mediated by a p53-independent pathway.
Gadducci
A
A
Department of Procreative Medicine, Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Pisa, Via Roma 56, Pisa, 56127, Italy. a.gadducci@obgyn.med.unipi.it
Cianci
C
C
Cosio
S
S
Carnino
F
F
Fanucchi
A
A
Buttitta
F
F
Conte
P F
PF
Genazzani
A R
AR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D017239:Paclitaxel