P53 PROTEIN EXPRESSION AND PROGNOSIS IN GALLBLADDER CARCINOMA AND PREMALIGNANT LESIONS

Background/Aims: p53 protein expression in gallbladder carcinoma has r ecently been detected by immunohistochemical techniques, but the relat ionship between p53 expression and prognosis or clinicopathological fa ctors is still obscure. Materials and Methods: We investigated 48 gall bladder carcinoma, 7 adenoma and 11 dysplasia cases for p53 expression by immunohistochemical techniques. Results: p53 expression was positi ve in 39.6% of gallbladder cancer cases, but in no adenoma or dysplasi a cases. No significant correlation, was found between p53 overexpress ion and prognosis or recurrence in 20 patients with carcinoma involvem ent up to the sub-serosal layer. p53 overexpression was correlated wit h DNA aneuploidy pattern and the absence of stones, but teas not corre lated with clinical staging or lymph node metastasis. Conclusion: Thes e results suggest that p53 gene mutation is related to the transition from premalignancy to malignancy in gallbladder carcinogenesis, as wel l as DNA ploidy alterations and carcinogenesis unassociated with galls tones, but has no bearing on the prognosis.