COMMON MOLECULAR-GENETIC ALTERATIONS IN DUKES-B AND DUKES-C COLORECTAL CARCINOMAS ARE NOT SHORT-TERM PROGNOSTIC INDICATORS OF SURVIVAL

Our study was undertaken to determine the prognostic significance of s everal common genetic alterations observed in colorectal carcinomas. W e have previously analysed loss of heterozygosity of the MCC, APC, p53 and DCC tumour suppressor gene loci as well as p53 gene mutations and protein over-expression in a series of 100 Dukes' stage B and C color ectal tumours obtained at surgery. To extend our observations of alter ations that may occur in these tumours, mutations to the c-Ki-ros onco gene and APC tumour suppressor gene were detected by PCR single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis. Short-term follow-up revealed no significant association between overall patient survival and any singl e, or combination of, genetic alteration(s). Surprisingly, patients wh ose tumours showed evidence of p53 protein over-expression/accumulatio n by immunocytochemistry (ICC) had a significantly better prognosis (p = 0.039) than those whose tumours had no p53 ICC reactivity. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.