p53 staining as a prognostic indicator in endometrial carcinoma

Objective: To investigate p53 expression in endometrial cancer and its sign ificance as a prognostic indicator. Methods: Thirty-five consecutively surgically treated patients with endomet rial cancer had their p53 expression studied by immunoperoxidase staining a nd quantified by lighted microscopic evaluation of the staining pattern. Th e determination of mean percentage of p53 expression was compared to progno stic indicators of endometrial cancer. Results: p53 staining was detected in 20 of the 35 cases of endometrial car cinoma. Eleven of the 21 endometrioid tumors stained positive, while 9 out of 14 tumors with more aggressive histology stained positive for p53. If th e grade I and II patients were taken into account as a whole, there was a s tatistically significant correlation (p<0.001) between the grade I and II p atients and the grade III patients. The difference was statistically signif icant between stage I and III (p<0.05). The difference between lymphovascul ar space invasion and no lymphovascular invasion and p53 positivity was sta tistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: p53 expression is more common in more aggressive histologic sub types than in endometrioid adenocarcinomas. Strong expression of p53 correl ates with advanced stage and high grade and is detected more frequently in endometrial cancers with lymphovascular invasion.