BACKGROUND: To study the expression of p53 protein in gastric adenocarcinoma and its relationship to clinicopathological parameters such as, age, sex, infiltration of the gastric wall (T), histological type of Lauren's classification, histological differenciation, lymph node involvement, stage (TNM) and patient longevity. METHODS: Forty-five patients with the diagnosis of gastric carcinoma submitted to a sub-total gastrectomy or a total gastrectomy in the Surgical Oncology Department at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital in Maceió, Alagoas and the University Hospital of the Federal University of Alagoas, Brazil during the period of January 1991 to May 2002 were analysed.The expression of the p53 protein was evaluated by an immunohistochemistry method, and compared to age, sex, infiltration of the gastric wall, histological type, histological differenciation, lymph node involvement, stage (TNM) and patient longevity. RESULTS: In the total number of patients, 27 were male (60%). The age range of all patients was 26 - 75 years (mean = 53.9 years). Forty patients (88.9%) were classified as well differenciated. As far as infiltration of the gastric wall, 28 patients (62.2%) were classified as having deep infiltration. In 25 patients (55.6%) the lymph nodes were free of disease. The histological study revealed that 29 patients (64.4%) were classified as the intestinal type of Lauren's classification. The stage (TNM) showed that 33 patients (73.3%) presented an advanced tumor. In the immunohistochemistry analysis, 18 patients (40%) were considered positive.The follow-up varied between 63 to 3920 days, with the average time being 1020.4 days. The statistical method of univariate analysis of Mantel identified the variables: age, stage, lymph node involvement and the tumor infiltration of the gastric wall as prognostic factors related to the patient with a significant statistical longevity (p<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that only lymph node involvement was an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: The author concluded that 18 (40%) of the total number of 45 patients with gastric carcinoma showed an immunohistochemistry reaction. There was no significant statistical relationship between expression of p53 protein and prognostic factors studied. Expression of p53 protein was not an independent prognostic factor.
Gastric adenocarcinoma; p53 protein; Immunohistochemistry; Prognosis
