OVEREXPRESSION OF P53 PROTEIN DURING PANCREATITIS

Overexpression of p53 correlates with neoplasia in many cytological sp ecimens. To test the specificity of overexpressed p53 as a tumour mark er for the detection of pancreatic cancer, we analysed cytological spe cimens of pancreatic juice samples from patients with pancreatitis or pancreatic carcinoma (n = 42) for p53 protein overexpression. p53 prot ein overexpression was found in 59% of patients with pancreatitis and 67% of patients with pancreatic carcinoma. Thus, the assessment of p53 protein overexpression is not useful in the diagnosis of pancreatic c ancer. Overexpressed p53 during pancreatitis appears to be wild-type p 53. Overexpression of p53 may result from DNA damage occurring during chronic inflammation. It is well established that p53 can induce apopt osis upon DNA damage. Consequently, we found apoptotic cell death in f ive out of five tested cytological preparations from patients with pan creatitis as well as in one out of one pancreatic carcinoma specimen.