p53 protein overexpression in early stage endometrial cancer

Overexpression of p53 protein has been reported to correlate with a poor prognosis in endometrial cancer, Most endometrial adenocarcinomas are clinical stage I at the time of diagnosis and the majority of women to die of this neoplasm had stage I disease at initial presentation, The aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of p53 overexpression in early stage endometrial carcinoma, Ninety-two patients with surgically treated endometrial adenocarcinoma FIGO stage I were examined for overexpression of immunohistochemically detected mutant p53 protein, Follow-up time ranged from 0.4 to 137.8 months (mean, 34.8), Thirteen women died of their tumor. A nuclear staining reaction for p53 was observed in eight cases. Women with p53 protein overexpression showed a significant poorer overall survival in univariate analysis (relative risk, 4.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.56-14.61; P = 0.006, Wald test) and also in multiple analysis adjusted for grading (relative risk, 4.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.39-13.90; P = 0.01, Wald test). Histological grading and histologic stage did not correlate with p53 protein overexpression (P = 0.26, P = 1.0, respectively, exact chi(2) test). Immunohistochemically detected p53 protein overexpression in early stage endometrial adenocarcinoma could aid in predicting prognosis and subsequently have some impact on adjuvant therapy. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.