p53 expression in fallopian tube carcinomas

Sixty-three women treated for primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube (PFTC ) from 1980-1995 were retrospectively analyzed to study the impact of p53 e xpression on survival in primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube. The mean age of the patients was 61.2 years (range 37.3-80.2). Twenty-four (38%) pat ients were FIGO stage I, 11 (18%) stage II, 19 (30%) stage III and nine (14 %) stage IV. Complete radical resection was achieved in 45 (71%) patients. In 56 (89%) women, surgery involved removal of the uterus, the adnexa, and/ or the omentum or lymph nodes. Adjuvant therapy consisted of either chemoth erapy (n: 31; 49%) or irradiation (n: 21; 33%). The 5-year survival rate fo r all cases was 43%. For stages I + II and III + IV the 5-year survival rat e was 59 and 19%, respectively (P < 0.00001). Twelve samples (19%) were p53 -negative (tumours with <10% of nuclear staining) and 51 (81%) samples were p53 positive tumours with >10% of nuclear staining. The median survival fo r the p53-negative group was 40 and 21 months for the p53 positive group. N o statistical significance between p53 expression and different FIGO stages was observed, however, a trend for a slightly better survival for the p53- negative group was observed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rig hts reserved.