P53 EXPRESSION IN HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA IN GREECE - CORRELATION WITH EPIDEMIOLOGIC AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL DATA

Localization of p53 oncoprotein was investigated in 60 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) from patients resident in the Northwest and Central Greece. The streptavidin-biotin complex immunoperoxidase method was pe rformed in archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded material, using t he monoclonal antibody DO-1. The aim of our study was to correlate p53 expression with histological and epidemiological data. p53 overexpres sion in patients with serological hepatitis B or C was greater (47%) a s compared to that observed in patients without these markers (p < 0.0 1). Morphologically normal liver tissue (NLT) and liver cell dysplasia (LCD) was recognized adjacent to HCC developing on non-alcoholic cirr hotic livers in patients with ''NonA, NonB hepatitis'' from between 19 75-1986. NLT and LCD and p53 oncoprotein was expressed in 10% of the c ases. No relationship was observed between p53 expression and tumor hi stological grade, patients' age and sex. These results suggest that in Northwest and Central Greece, p53 oncosupressor gene may be involved in some HCCs; it may be associated with viral chronic infection diseas e (HBV or HCV), and as yet with uncharacterized viruses which remain t o be determined.