Recurrent fallopian tube carcinoma: TP53 mutation and clinical course

Primary fallopian tube carcinoma is a rare, aggressive gynecological cancer ; little is known about its cause. Previous studies have indicated that p53 immunopositivity is correlated with short-term survival in primary fallopi an tube carcinoma. We examined p53 and p21/WAF1 immunostaining and TP53 mut ation in exons 5 to 8 by single-stranded conformation polymorphism and cons tant denaturant gel electrophoresis in nine cases of primary fallopian tube carcinoma and their metastases/ recurrences from patients who survived for between a few months and more than 20 years after diagnosis. We found that 1.) p53 immunopositivity without detectable p21/WAF1 immunostaining did no t correlate with TP53 mutations in the conserved domains; 2.) mutations in TP53 occurred in two metastases/recurrences but not in their corresponding primary tumors; 3.) in two cancers, a TP53 mutation was observed in the pri mary tumor but not in the metastases/recurrences; 4.) constant denaturant g el electrophoresis seems to be more sensitive than single-stranded conforma tion polymorphism in detecting TP53 mutations; and 5.) in the nine cases st udied, p53 immunoreactivity and/or TP53 mutation analysis did not correlate with tumor progression, survival, or response to treatment.