Expression of c-erbB2 and p53 in Curatively Resected Gastric Cancer: Correlation with Clinicopathologic Features and Prognosis

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We investigated the correlation between expression of c-erbB-2 and p53 proteins and clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer to reveal prognostic factors. METHODS: 125 patient records under going curative resection for gastric carcinoma at our institution from January 2000 to June 2003 were collected. Surgical specimens embedded in paraffin block were evaluated for p53 and c-erbB-2 protein as detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Samples from 30 cases (24.0%) of 125 patients with gastric adenocarcinomas demonstrated positive staining for c-erbB-2 and 72 patients (57.6%) showed positive nuclear staining for p53 protein. c-erbB-2 stained tumors were significantly associated with the depth of tumor invasion (P=0.022), lymph node metastasis (P=0.004) and lymphatic invasion (P=0.019). In a subgroup of patients with gastric carcinoma not exposed to serosa (n=91), expression of both c-erbB-2 and p53 significantly related with poor disease-free survival (OR=5.107) and survival (OR=4.449) in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: When patients with gastric adenocarcinoma showed expression of c-erbB-2 with p53, they were associated with aggressive pathologic features. In the subgroup of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma that did not involve serosa, expression of c-erbB-2 combined with p53 could become a predictive factor for recurrence and survival in multivariate analysis.