ADENOCARCINOMA OF DUODENUM AND AMPULLA OF VATER - CLINICOPATHOLOGY STUDY AND EXPRESSION OF P53, C-NEU, TGF-ALPHA, CEA, AND EMA

Oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and growth factors are being explor ed as to their role in the initiation and progression of most neoplasm s, but little information exists on the expression of oncoproteins or growth factors in adenocarcinoma of the duodenum or ampulla of Vater. This report covers expressions of p53, c-neu, TGF-alpha, CEA, and EMA in duodenal adenocarcinoma and ampullary adenocarcinoma, as well as co rrelations between expressions and tumor stage, histological grade and patient survival. The expression of p53, c-neu, TGF-alpha, CEA, and E MA has been studied in 15 duodenal adenocarcinomas and in eight ampull ary adenocarcinomas by avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex indirect immun operoxidase technique. The positive reaction for p53, c-neu, TGF-alpha , CEA, and EMA in duodenal adenocarcinoma was 20%, 60%, 60%, 73%, and 100%, respectively, and in ampullary adenocarcinoma, 13%, 100%, 50%, 6 3%, and 100%. Among the duodenal tumors, C-neu and p53 expression was noted more frequently in groups with high histological grades. Patient s with c-neu positive duodenal adenocarcinoma had a shorter survival t han the patients with c-neu negative duodenal adenocarcinoma (P < 0.01 ). C-neu product may serve as an unfavorable prognostic indicator in d uodenal adenocarcinoma. No statistically significant correlation was f ound between the expressions of CEA, EMA, p53, and TGF-alpha and patie nt survival, tumor stage, or histological grade in either duodenal or ampullary adenocarcinomas. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.