The study of p53 and CA19-9 prognostic molecular markers in colorectal carcinomas

Immunohistochemistry represents a relatively new identification technique of cellular and tissular antigens due to an antigen-antibody binding interactions, applied more and more in the pathology laboratories for positive and differential diagnosis of premalignant and malignant lesions and also for evolutive prognosis of tumoral formations. Immunohistochemistry coloration is based on the antigen-antibody affinity, the antibody binding situs being identified either by antibody coloration direct methods or by using an indirect method where the marking is supplied by antibodies called secondary or even tertiary. The present study is based on the immunohistochemical investigation of some molecular markers with a prognosis value in colorectal cancers (CCR), like the antibody p53 immune expression and of some factors supposed to have prognosis value, such as CA19-9 (carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen or Lewis antigen). In the last decade, the studies have tried to define the prognosis of the molecular markers that allow the identification of the patients with recurrent risk after surgical treatment and who can benefit from chemotherapy in an efficient way. The purpose of the study on immunohistochemical markers is to aim towards the treatment based on molecular phenotypes of colorectal tumors. In 2000, according to the Consensus Conference of the Colorectal Working Group of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Prognostic Factors (AJC), there were established four categories of prognosis factors in colorectal cancers based on the practical importance and the number of studies referring to them. The present study is centered on the prognosis factors from the second B category (p53 oncoprotein expression) and the fourth category (CA19-9 immunomarker expression).