IMAGE-ANALYSIS FOR THE EVALUATION OF P53 EXPRESSION IN HUMAN CANCERS

We compared the results of a subjective microscopic evaluation and an interactive image analysis of p53 expression in different human rumour s. Expression of p53 was immunocytochemically detected by using the mo noclonal antibody PAb 1801, and the evaluation was made blindly by two observers, Image analysis was performed on the same sections using DI SCOVERY, The image was segmented into objects and background by intera ctive thresholding. Several morphological and densitometric features w ere selected in order to remove artefacts, lymphocytes, stromal cells and overlapping nuclei from the counting. The study was performed on s eries of 30 cases for different tumour types: breast, colon, oral cavi ty, ovary and lung cancer. Spearman's correlation coefficient ranged f rom 0.72 to 0.95 (P = 0.0001). Image analysis can therefore be conside red as a quick and alternative approach to microscopic evaluation of n uclear immuno-determinations.