P53 PROTEIN OVEREXPRESSION, A FREQUENT OBSERVATION IN SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE VULVA AND IN VARIOUS SYNCHRONOUS VULVAR EPITHELIA, HASNO VALUE AS A PROGNOSTIC PARAMETER

In this study we have investigated the prevalence of p53 overexpressio n in various vulvar lesions and its significance as a prognostic param eter in patients with vulvar carcinoma. Overexpression of p53 was stud ied in 66 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva and in th e following synchronous epithelial lesions: intraepithelial neoplasia grade I (VIN I) (n = 33), VIN II (n = 11), VIN III (n = 16), lichen sc lerosus (n = 30), squamous cell hyperplasia (n = 37), normal vulvar sk in of patients with vulvar carcinoma (n = 55), and in 18 samples of no rmal skin from healthy controls. Survival curves of the p53-positive a nd p53-negative patients were compared using the log-rank test. The us e of DO7, an anti-p53 monoclonal antibody, showed p53 overexpression i n 35 (53%) specimens of carcinoma, in eight (27%) of lichen sclerosus, in five (14%) of squamous cell hyperplasia, in six (18%) of VIN I, in two (18%) of VIN II, in two (13%) of VIN III, and in seven (13%) spec imens of normal vulvar skin. Staining of normal skin from healthy cont rols showed no p53 positive specimens, No relationship between express ion of p53 and disease-free survival in patients with vulvar carcinoma was present. In malignant, synchronous premalignant and non-neoplasti c epithelial disorders of the vulva, p53 overexpression is a frequent observation, indicating that the latter two groups have characteristic s of premalignant lesions. In addition, p53 overexpression was not a u seful prognostic parameter for patients with vulvar carcinoma.