p53 gene mutations are among the most common genetic lesions in human
cancers. While previous studies have established the presence of p53 p
rotein in ovarian carcinomas some have not shown the alteration of the
p53 gene to be a feature in benign or borderline ovarian epithelial n
eoplasms. In this study we examined both benign and borderline maligna
nt/malignant mucinous neoplasms for p53 protein accumulation by the me
ans of an anti-human p53 protein monoclonal antibody on paraffin secti
ons. Our results show that p53 protein accumulation is associated to a
similar degree with both malignant mucinous cystadenocarcinomas and m
ucinous cystademonas of borderline malignancy. This suggests that p53
mutations may play an important and early role in the malignant transf
ormations of one-third or more of mucinous ovarian neoplasms. Furtherm
ore, among the mucinous cystadenomas of borderline malignancy where p5
3 staining was present, staining could be found in the morphologically
benign areas thus indicating that, despite their innocuous appearance
, such epithelial cells might have already taken a very important step
in their evolution to frank malignancy.