CORRELATION BETWEEN APOPTOSIS AND TP53 STATUS IN OSTEOSARCOMA

Samples of 18 osteosarcomas were examined for the occurrence of-apopto sis and TP53 status. Apoptosis was investigated by an in situ nick tra nslation technique on paraffin-embedded samples. It was found that apo ptosis rarely occurs in osteosarcoma at the early stage of disease, wh ereas it is frequently activated when tumors are treated with antiblas tic drugs. The analysis of the TP53 gene showed no mutation at diagnos is; whereas, during disease progression, four cases showed TP53 mutati ons. The authors discuss the relation between apoptosis, TP53 status, and therapy. (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1998