The value of p53 protein expression in gallbladder carcinoma: analysis of 60 cases.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Few studies, with small samples and diverging results, have been performed to evaluate the p53 protein expression in gallbladder carcinoma and its relationship to different clinicopathological parameters. Based on these facts, we performed a study for the purpose of assessing p53 expression in this disease and its association to prognostic factors.

METHODOLOGY: Samples of 141 gallbladders, with 60 cases of carcinoma, 62 cholelithiasis and 19 without gallstones were assessed using an immunohistochemical technique for the expression of p53 protein, and analyzed for prognosis, survival and other clinicopathological parameters.

RESULTS: p53 expression was positive in 58.3% of carcinomas of the gallbladder, 9.7% of the chronic cholecystitis and 10.5% of the gallbladders not associated to stones. In cases of carcinoma of the gallbladder there was no statistically significant association between the expression of this protein, the prognostic factors, histological type or grade, presence of gallstones and survival.

CONCLUSIONS: The mutation of gene p53 is involved in the pathogenesis of carcinoma of the gallbladder, and the intense chronic inflammatory process associated or not with cholelithiasis, appears to be one of the factors involved in the genesis of this process. Our data do not show an association between p53 protein expression and patient's survival prognosis.