p53 tumor suppressor gene protein expression in cervical cancer: relationship to prognosis

Abstract Objective : Mutation of the p53 gene can be found in several human tumors. We tested the hypothesis whether overexpression of p53 protein is a parameter of more aggressive disease in patients with cervical cancer. Study design : In this study, we describe the effects of p53 overexpression in 156 patients with cervical cancer (Figo stage IB-IV) by assessing expression patterns of the p53 gene product using a monoclonal anti-p53 antibody (DO7). Results : Overexpression of p53 tumor suppressor gene protein was observed in 30.2% of the tumors, low expression in 30.7% and 39.1% of the tumors showed no p53 immunoreactivity. With increase in stage, p53 overexpression raised from 20.1% in stage IB to 60% in stage IV. A significant correlation between p53 overexpression and disease-free survival of patients was observed, however, after stratification for stage, this effect disappeared. Conclusions : The p53 mutation expressed as p53 tumor suppressor gene protein overexpression is a late event in cervical cancer genesis and does not appear to be of prognostic significance in cervical cancer.