p53 protein overexpression and Ki -67 antigen expression as prognostic markers in gallbladder carcinoma

Objective To investigate the interrelationship between the overexpression of p53 protein and the expression of Ki - 67 antigen and the survival of patients with gallbladder carcinoma. Methods Forty - one surgical specimens from patients with a postoperative histological diagnosis of gall-bladder carcinoma were studied. All patients were operated by simple cholecystectomy only because the turnouts were not advanced and/or their general condition was poor. The expression of p53 and Ki -67 was measured by immunohistoehemistry. Results Twenty - nine gallbladder carcinomas (71%) overex-pressed p53 protein. Five - year survival of patients with gallbladder carcinoma overexpressing p53 was 17.2%, while survival of patients without p53 overexpression was 30% (not significant). Twenty - four eases (58.5%) were considered positive for the MIB - Ⅰ index. Five - year survival of the patients with a MIB - 1 positive index was 9.2% as opposed to 27.7% for those with a negative index (not significant). There were no differenees between the grade of cell differentiation and wall infiltration. Conclusions p53 protein overexpression and Ki -67 protein expression in gallbladder carcinoma are not related to his-tological differentiation, level of gallbladder wall invasion or patient survival. Key words: Gallbladder carcinoma ;  p53 ;  Ki - 67 ;