To evaluate the clinical significance of
p53 mutations, we analyzed the relationship of several
clinicopathologic factors to the clinical outcomes in 131 colorectal cancer patients. Exons 5 to 9 of the
p53 gene
were studied by the direct sequencing method with capillary electrophoresis. A total of 47 mutations of
p53 were
found, in 45 of 131 cases (34%). Mutations were statistically associated with lymphatic invasion (p=0.03) and
lymph node metastasis (p=0.02). Kaplan-Meier survival curves for the patients with
p53 mutations were likely to
exhibit shortened survivals, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.078). In our evaluation of each
exon in relationship to survival,
p53 mutations in exon 7 correlated significantly with poor prognosis (p=0.041). In
multivariate analysis,
p53 mutation emerged as an independent marker for prognostic hazard ratio=1.650 (p=0.015).
However, exon 7 mutations were not related to survival, as well other exons and specific type of mutations.
Investigation of
p53 mutation overall was considered to be a clinically useful approach for determining the
prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer.
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