p53 tumoral supressor gene expression and significance in endometrial cancer

p53 tumoral suppressor gene is the most frequent mutant gene identified till now in human neoplasias. Conformational transformations induced by these genes are associated with the stabilization of the p53 gene product and with the accumulation of the mutant protein in the malignant cells nuclei, in quantities which can be immunohistochemically detected. The goal of this paper is to immunohistochemically exam p53 protein expression in 15 patients with primary endometrial carcinomas, using anti-p53 monoclonal antibody (DO7), antibody which can detect the savage form and the mutant form of p53 protein. p53 overexpression was observed in 10 from the 15 cases that were studied (66.6%), only the nucleus staining being considered positive. p53 protein expression was more intense in moderate and weak differentiated carcinomas, suggesting a relationship between the p53 high level and the weak tumoral differentiation. p53 alteration can be considered, in primary endometrial carcinoma, an independent indicator for a moderate prognosis.