title: Significance of p53 expression in gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are non-epithelial tumors originating from the gastrointestinal tract walls. They expose a wide spectrum of histological properties from benign to poorly differentiated malignant tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study 41 cases of gastrointestinal stromal tumors were reviewed for p53 expression using immunohistochemical stains. Immunoreactivity properties of the tumors were compared to prognostic factors such as mitotic index, tumor size, tumor site, presence of necrosis, mucosal invasion, proliferative index, telomerase activity, hemorrhage, cellularity, and histological pattern.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant difference in positive immunostaining of three case groups (12.2% in benign, 19.5% in borderline, and 68.3% in malignant group). Statistical analysis revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between p53 immunostaining properties and tumor size (p = 0.01), mitotic index (p=0.05), cellularity (p = 0.042), and diagnosis (p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that p53 expression may be a useful tool in classifying and predicting the prognosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors as it is well correlated with tumor size, mitotic index, cellularity, and diagnosis according to our study results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Pathology, Uludag University Medical Faculty, Bursa, Turkey. u_yalcinkaya@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ulviye
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Yalcinkaya
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yerci
authors.forename: Ebru Uzun
authors.initials: EU
authors.lastname: Koc
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008940:Mitotic Index; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53