IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STAINING FOR THE P53 PROTEIN AND PROLIFERATING CELL NUCLEAR ANTIGEN IN FAMILIAL CLUSTERING OF GASTRIC-CANCER

Purpose of this study was to assess the role of p53 gene and tumor pro liferating activity in familial clustering of gastric cancer. Material s and Methods: Among 344 patients who underwent resections for gastric cancer, 10 patients had two or more gastric cancer-affected, first-de gree relatives. We classified them as the group of gastric cancer with family history (FGC). Eighty-seven patients with gastric cancer who h ad no relatives with any malignant neoplasm were classified as the spo radic group. The paraffin-embedded specimens were stained immunohistoc hemically using monoclonal antibodies against the p53 product and prol iferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Results: There was no significa nt difference in any clinicopathologic factor and the PCNA labeling in dex between the two groups. Staining for the p53 product was positive in 80% of the FGC group and in 38% of the sporadic group (P < 0.05). C onclusion: Our study suggests that overexpression of p53 protein is on e of the familial factors that correlates with carcinogenesis in the s tomach. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.