PROGNOSTIC-SIGNIFICANCE OF P53 AND C-ERBB-2 IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION IN COLORECTAL ADENOCARCINOMA

Mutant p53 tumour suppressor gene and c-erbB-2 proto-oncogene are invo lved in human carcinogenesis, and their protein product detection in h uman malignancies might influence the evolution of many neoplasms. Our aim was to estimate their association with histopathological and clin ical parameters of prognostic value in colorectal cancer. An immunohis tochemical assay was undertaken in formalin-fixed sections from tissue specimens of 60 colorectal carcinomas. Nuclear p53 expression was det ected in 46.6%, while membranic c-erbB-2 positivity was noticed in 35% of the examined cases. P53 positivity rate significantly correlated w ith poor differentiation (p < 0.001), high mitotic activity (p < 0.000 1), tumour stage (p < 0.001) and 5-year overall survival period (p < 0 .01). C-erbB-2 positivity incidence significantly correlated with adva nced Dukes' stage (p < 0.001) and high mitotic activity (p < 0.05). Si gnificant association between p53 and c-erbB-2 immunostaining was obse rved (p < 0.05) and p53/c-erbB-2 co-expression was related to poor dif ferentiation (p < 0.001), high mitotic activity (p < 0.001), advanced Dukes' stage (p < 0.001), tumour aneuploidy (p < 0.05) and worse overa ll survival (p < 0.05). P53 and c-erbB-2 immunohistochemical detection in combination with known prognostic indicators may be a useful futur e tool in determining colorectal cancer prognosis and subsequently in deciding on optimal postoperative treatments.