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[Correlation study of spontaneous apoptosis, PCNA, and p53 in esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma]
1Department of Tumor Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Guangdong.
Objective:
To investigate the inter-relationships among spontaneous apoptosis, proliferative activity and p53 mutation in esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma.
Methods:
In 30 previondy untreated patients with esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma, tissues were examined for apoptosis by in-situ TUNEL, PCNA by immunohistochemistry, p53 mutation by PCR-SSCP and immunohistochemistry. The number of apoptotic cells per 10 low-power microseopic fields was taken as the apoptotic index.
Results:
Apoptotic index of cells with high proliferative activity was significantly higher than that of cells with low proliferative activity (P < 0.05). In tumors with p53 gene mutation, apoptotic index of cells with high proliferative activity and low proliferative activity was significantly different (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in apoptotic index in tumors positive and negative for p53 mutation as examined by PCR-SSCP or immunohistochemistry (P > 0.05).
Conclusion:
In squamous-cell carcinoma of the esophagus, cells with high proliferative activity are apt to undergo spontaneous apoptosis.