P53 PROTEIN IN 204 PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY BREAST-CARCINOMA - IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL DETECTION AND CLINICAL-VALUE AS A PROGNOSTIC FACTOR

In a retrospective study, 204 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded bio psies of primary breast carcinomas were tested immunohistochemically f or the expression of p53 protein (PAb 1801). 38% of the carcinomas wer e positive with respect to p53. The expression of p53 correlated signi ficantly with the loss of tumor differentiation (P=0.013), but not wit h menopausal status, patients' age, tumor size, axillary lymph node in volvement or hormone receptor status. The influence of p53 expression on prognosis was evaluated in 197 patients (T-1-4 N-0-2 M(0), median o bservation time 72 months). Detection of p53 protein was associated wi th a significantly longer disease-free survival in node-positive women (P=0.03). However, p53 protein did not prove to be a prognostic facto r in node-negative patients. The results demonstrate the prognostic va lue of p53 expression in breast cancer which appears to be limited to patients with node-positive tumors.