p53 expression is a factor for prognostic assessment in breast sarcoma

Abstract

The present study was undertaken with the aim of evaluating the clinical and anatomopathological findings, emphasizing expression of the protein p53 as possible prognostic markers, in patients with breast sarcoma. p53 immunohistochemical expression was determined in archival paraffin embedded tissue blocks of 30 breast sarcoma patients, (19 fibrosarcomas, nine malignant fibrohistiocytomas and two liposarcomas) treated at the Hospital do Cancer AC Camargo, São Paulo, Brazil from 1955 to 1990. Immunopositivity was present in 50% of the cases. The survival of the patients was compared with the above parameters. Median follow up time was 113 months. The 5 years specific survival rates were 55.1% for patients with a positive expression of p53 contrariwise to 92.3% of specific survival found in p53 negative patients (p = 0.04). Positive expression of p53 was found in 3/4 (75%) of the patients with local recurrence and in 7/9 (77%) of patients with metastatic disease. No significant correlation between survival and clinicopathologic features (age, menopausal status, tumor size, stage and histological type), was found. A slight positive correlation between high grade and poor outcome was observed, 89% of the metastatic cases being classified as high grade (p = 0.02, by one sided Fisher's exact test). When we have compared, independently, survival probability curves between p53 positive/negative expression and each category of clinicopathologic features a worse prognosis was observed when p53 was positive in patients older than 50 years (p = 0.01), in tumors larger than 5 cm (p = 0.02), within the malignant fibrous histiocytoma subtype (p = 0.01) and in tumors classified as high grade (p = 0.07). In conclusion p53 expression seems to be a useful prognostic marker for this type of tumor.

Retrospective study and immunohistochemical analysis of canine mammary sarcomas

“…Our findings could suggest that p53 plays a role in malignant progression of the tumor [27,50]. Overexpression of p53 has been described in 50% of breast sarcomas [50]. Those results largely corroborate our findings.…”

“…Those results largely corroborate our findings. Interestingly, other authors have suggested the possible prognostic role of p53 expression in breast sarcomas [50]. Similar results were noted in this study, but the utility of p53 as a prognostic maker should be examined on a larger number of samples and in view of follow-up data.…”

“…This is a relative new observation, and to date, p53 expression has been demonstrated mainly in osteosarcomas [47,49]. Our findings could suggest that p53 plays a role in malignant progression of the tumor [27,50]. Overexpression of p53 has been described in 50% of breast sarcomas [50].…”

Diagnostic and therapeutic strategy and the most efficient prognostic factors of breast malignant fibrous histiocytoma

“…ER18, PR18, p5319 and Ki-67 staining was considered positive if immunostaining was seen in more than 10% of tumor nuclei. Positive staining (3+) for Her-2 corresponded to strong staining in >30% of tumor cells, whereas weak to moderate staining in >10% cells was scored as equivocal (2+), and no staining or faint incomplete staining was scored as negative (−) or faint (1+)20.…”

Aberrant expression of BARD1 in breast and ovarian cancers with poor prognosis

“…The frequency of overexpression of mutant p53 is significantly higher in advanced‐stage (III/IV) ovarian cancer compared to stage I cases (10–20%). This may indicate that p53 inactivation is a late event in ovarian carcinogenesis 5, 6, 7…”