title: Proliferation and p53 expression in anal cancer precursor lesions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) develops from dysplastic anal warts. This study quantifies the expression of p53 and Ki67 in pre-invasive and invasive anal lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples of 70 patients with anal warts (n = 20), low grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia (LG AIN) (n = 12), high grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia (HG AIN) (n = 27) and anal SCC (n = 11) were stained using immunohistochemical techniques. Eight patients with normal anal skin were used as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the expression of p53 and Ki67 increased significantly (p < 0.001) and gradually as the lesions became dysplastic and invasive. The main increase in p53 expression was as the lesions progressed from anal warts (7.38 +/- 11.93-mean +/- SD) to low grade AIN (20.778 +/- 13.14).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  p53 is involved in the progression of anal cancer and its expression increases from early in the development of pre-invasive anal lesions. p53 and Ki67 may be useful markers of early dysplasia and should be considered in the screening of high risk patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Pond Street, London NW3 2QG, U.K. p.mullerat@rfc.ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mullerat
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Deroide
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Winslet
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Perrett
mesh_terms: D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014860:Warts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53