BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Studies have revealed that overexpression of p53 protein has close relation to induction of drug resistance in cancer patients and it can be used as a predictor for chemosensitivity of tumor. Recently, it has been found that specific p53 antibody (p53-Ab) presented in the serum of cancer patients with p53 protein overexpression. Furthermore, the presence of serum p53-Ab is closely correlated with p53 protein overexpression. Thus, serum p53-Ab could theoretically be useful in predicting chemosensitivity in cancer patients. In the present study, we investigated whether preoperative serum p53-Ab is correlated with the postoperative chemosensitivity of esophageal cancer, which was analyzed using in vitro drug response assay. METHOD: Serum analysis of p53 antibodies was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 38 patients with esophageal cancer preoperatively, then surgically resected specimens were analyzed for their chemosensitivity to cisdichlorodiammineplatinum (DDP),5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and Adriamycin (ADM) by in vitro drug response assay MTT colorimetry. RESULTS: Serum p53-Ab was present in 47.3% of the patients with esophageal cancer. The positive rate of serum p53-Abs in patients was significantly different from that in healthy blood donors (P< 0.01). The positive rate of serum p53-Ab was 25%(5/20) for the patients at stage I and II, and 72.2%(13/18) for the patients at stage III and IV.A significant correlation between serum p53-Ab positive rate and TNM stage was observed (P< 0.05). The positive rate of serum p53-Ab were 21.5%(3/14), 50%(6/12), 75% (9/12) for the patients with well, moderately,and poorly differentiated tumors, respectively. There was significant correlation between serum p53-Ab positive rate and tumor differentiation (P< 0.05). The chemosensitivity to DDP, 5-FU, and ADM (11.1%,16.1%,and 16.1%, respectively) of the patients with positive serum p53-Ab was significantly lower than that of the patients with negative p53-Ab (60%, 45%, and 35%; P< 0.01,P< 0.05, and P< 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: p53-Ab is not only a prognostic marker for patients with esophageal cancer, but also a predictor of their response to chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Studies have revealed that overexpression of p53 protein has close relation to induction of drug resistance in cancerpatients and it can be used as a predictor for chemosensitivity of tumor. Recently, it has been found that specific p53 antibody (p53-Ab) presented in the serum of cancerpatients with p53 protein overexpression. Furthermore, the presence of serum p53-Ab is closely correlated with p53 protein overexpression. Thus, serum p53-Ab could theoretically be useful in predicting chemosensitivity in cancerpatients. In the present study, we investigated whether preoperative serum p53-Ab is correlated with the postoperative chemosensitivity of esophageal cancer, which was analyzed using in vitro drug response assay. METHOD: Serum analysis of p53 antibodies was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 38 patients with esophageal cancer preoperatively, then surgically resected specimens were analyzed for their chemosensitivity to cisdichlorodiammineplatinum (DDP),5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and Adriamycin (ADM) by in vitro drug response assay MTT colorimetry. RESULTS: Serum p53-Ab was present in 47.3% of the patients with esophageal cancer. The positive rate of serum p53-Abs in patients was significantly different from that in healthy blood donors (P< 0.01). The positive rate of serum p53-Ab was 25%(5/20) for the patients at stage I and II, and 72.2%(13/18) for the patients at stage III and IV.A significant correlation between serum p53-Ab positive rate and TNM stage was observed (P< 0.05). The positive rate of serum p53-Ab were 21.5%(3/14), 50%(6/12), 75% (9/12) for the patients with well, moderately,and poorly differentiated tumors, respectively. There was significant correlation between serum p53-Ab positive rate and tumor differentiation (P< 0.05). The chemosensitivity to DDP, 5-FU, and ADM (11.1%,16.1%,and 16.1%, respectively) of the patients with positive serum p53-Ab was significantly lower than that of the patients with negative p53-Ab (60%, 45%, and 35%; P< 0.01,P< 0.05, and P< 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION:p53-Ab is not only a prognostic marker for patients with esophageal cancer, but also a predictor of their response to chemotherapy.