Serum anti-p53 antibodies in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

Immunoassay of serum anti-p53 antibodies was performed in a series of 63 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. p53 alterations were also analyzed with DGGE to detect gene mutations (n=53) and by immunohistochemistry to assess overexpression of p53 (n=43). An immune response was observed in 16 sera (25%). The corresponding biopsies all had a p53 gene mutation or overexpression of protein p53. We were unable to demonstrate any significant relationship between habitual tumor parameters (localization, cell differentiation, TNM stage) and development of p53 alterations. However, none of the patients with a localized tumor developed an immune response, while some of them had a muted gene or overexpressed p53.