Expression of the c-erb-B2 and p53 protein in gallbladder carcinomas

Gallbladder carcinoma is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract in Korea and known to be more common in East Asia and Latin America than in E urope and North America. However, their exact histopathological characteris tics and carcinogenesis are not well-elucidated. A total of 71 cases of gal lbladder carcinomas, two cases of gallbladder dysplasia and 20 cases of gal lbladder adenoma were immunohistochemically studied to evaluate the express ion of c-erb-132 and p53 proteins in the light of their relationship with v arious prognostic factors. Thirty-three gallbladder carcinomas (46.5%) show ed positive staining for c-erb-B2, but none of the dysplasia and adenoma we re positive (p<0.05). c-erb-132 was stained in the cell membrane of the can cer cells. Adjacent normal mucosa was negative for c-erb-B2 staining. Forty -eight gallbladder carcinomas (67.6%) showed positive staining in the nucle us for p53 protein. None of the cases with dysplasia, adenoma, and normal m ucosa stained positive for p53 protein. There was no significant correlatio n between c-erb-132 and p53 expression and age, gender, histological tumor grade, and tumor stage. In the multivariate analysis, tumor stage approache d statistical significance (p=0.05), but c-erb-132 and p53 expression was n ot significant (p=0.14 and p=0.29, respectively). The mean survival periods of the c-erb-132 positive and negative groups were 26 months and 52 months , respectively (p=0.02). However, the mean survival periods of the p53 prot ein positive and negative patients were 34 months and 35 months, respective ly (p=0.45). In conclusion, our results suggest that c-erb-B2 and p53 prote in expression is strongly associated with neoplastic progression in gallbla dder carcinomas, and that c-erb-B2 expression identifies patients with a wo rse prognosis.