[The relationship between p53 protein and c-erb B-2 expression and apoptosis in colorectal cancer]

In order to elucidate the relationship between tumor growth and various kinds of gene expression and the occurrence of apoptosis in the front portion of neoplastic invasion, 57 advanced colorectal cancers were studied by immunohistochemical staining of p53, c-erb B-2, the TUNEL method and electron microscopy. Light microscopically, the columnar epithelial cells of adenocarcinoma frequently showed a decrease in high and a fall off into the lumen in tumor invasive forefront. Immunohistochemically the positive rate of p53 and c-erb B-2 in tumors with high vascular invasion were higher (p < 0.05) than in those with low vascular invasion. There was a close correlation between the vascular or lymphatic invasion and positive immunoreactivity of p53 and c-erb B-2. The apoptosis index was demonstrated to be related to vessel invasion, over expression of p53 and inflammatory cell infiltration around the front portion of the tumor invasion. These results suggested that p53. c-erb B-2 and the apoptosis index should be evaluated in conjunction with the prognostic factors in colorectal cancer. The infiltrative inflammatory cells may induce apoptosis of the tumor cells.