MUTANT P53 EXPRESSION AND DNA ANALYSIS IN HUMAN BREAST-CANCER COMPARISON WITH CONVENTIONAL CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL PARAMETERS

Scientific research evaluates the prognostic importance of 53 expressi on and DNA flow cytometry controversially. To evaluate the prognostic relevance of mutant p53 protein overexpression and DNA flow cytometry in primary breast cancer we correlated these factors with the common p rognostic parameters such as tumor size, lymph node status, grading, m enopausal status and receptor status. Human breast cancer specimens fr om 180 previously untreated patients were collected and deep frozen. O n each specimen DNA-analysis by Geohde's technique (Partec PAS II) and immunohistochemical evaluation of mutant p53 protein (PAb 1801 and 24 0, Novocastra Lab., Great Britain) were performed. Besides TNM- and hi stological classification, estrogen (ER)- and progesterone (PgR) recep tor content was recorded. Overexpression of mutant p53 protein was fou nd in 34 N19%) of all specimens. All these 34 tumors were aneuploid (p = 0.007), 86% of them were receptor negative (p 0.0001), 79% had a hi gh tumor grade (p 0.0001), 73% a high S-phase-fraction (SPF) (p = 0.04 5) and 53% were premenopausal (p 0.0001). Tumor size and node status d id not correlate significantly with p53 expression. 27 (15%) out of 18 0 carcinomas were diploid. There was a significant correlation between ploidy and the tumor grade (p=0.003) and SPF (p 0.0001), but no corre lation between ploidy and tumor size (p=0.21), node status (p=0.33) or receptor status (p=0.18). A low SPF was predominantly found in tumors less than 2 cm in diameter (p 0.0001); no significant correlation was found between SPF, receptor status, tumor grade, node and menopausal status. Mutant p53 protein expression and DNA analysis in combination with common prognostic parameters might help to detech prognostically unfavoruable subgroups of breast cancer patients.