[Association between p53 expression and chemosensitivity in advanced and recurrent gastric cancer]

Fifteen cases with very advanced and recurrent gastric carcinoma were treated by 5-FU plus cisplatin. Among them, 6 cases were responder (CR + PR) and 9 cases were nonresponder (NC). In order to select the responder, p53 protein status in the tissue obtained by endoscopical biopsy before chemotherapy was studied. The immunohistochemical method was by the avidin-biotin complex method using anti-p53 protein monoclonal antibody. One CR case showed negative p53 staining and 2 of 5 cases of PR cases exhibited positive p53 staining. The staining of all 9 NC cases was positive. Significantly high p53 protein overexpression in the nonresponder cases was indicated. In conclusion, our result suggested that the immunohistochemical method detecting p53 protein in the biopsy specimen may be useful to predict the effect by chemotherapy.