Abstract
The authors have conducted an immunohistochemical study of the expression of p53 protein in breast cancers. This study based on formalin fixed paraffin embedded specimens using a polyclonal antibody showed that the expression of p53 protein was observed limited to the nuclei of cancer cells in 49 out of 179 cases (27.4%). No significant correlations were observed between the tissue expression of the p53 protein and clinicopathological background factors, PCNA labeling index, and prognosis. Given the above, the expression of mutant-type p53 protein was observed in the breast cancer tissue, and possible involvement of the p53 gene in carcinogenesis was suggested. However, its clinical significance remains unknown and further investigations would be necessary.
