Liver Cancer
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2002. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 15, 2002; 8(5): 822-826
Published online Oct 15, 2002. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v8.i5.822
Expression of p53 and C-myc genes and its clinical relevance in the hepatocellular carcinomatous and pericarcinomatous tissues
Zhao-Shan Niu, Bo-Kian Li, Mei Wang
Zhao-Shan Niu, Bo-Kian Li, Department of Pathology, Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, Shandong Province, China
Mei Wang, Department of Foreign languages, Qingdao institute of Architecture and Engineering, Qingdao 266033, Shandong Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the scientific research fundation of Shandong Provincial Education Committee (J94, K26)
Correspondence to: Zhao-Shan Niu, Department of Pathology, Medical College of Qingdao University, 38 Dengzhou Road, Qingdao 266021, Shandong Province, China. nzxmxh@public.qd.sd.cn
Telephone: +86-532-3812410
Received: March 15, 2002
Revised: April 2, 2002
Accepted: April 13, 2002
Published online: October 15, 2002
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the possible roles of p53 and C-myc genes in the primary hepatocellular carcinogenesis and the relationship between the liver hyperplastic nodule (LHN) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS: The expression of p53 and C-myc genes was detected immunohist-ochemically in 73 and 60 cases of HCC and pericarcinomatous tissues, respectively.

RESULTS: The positive expression of p53 in HCC was significantly higher than that in pericarcinomatous tissues (P < 0.05). In pericarcinomatous tissues, the p53 expression was observed only in LHN, but not in liver cirrhosis (LC) and normal liver tissues. The positive expression rate of C-myc in HCC or LHN was significantly higher than that in LC or normal liver tissues (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), however, no significant difference was found between HCC and LHN (P > 0.05). The positive expression rate of p53 and C-myc in HCC was correlated with the histological differentiation, that in the poorly differentiated was significantly higher than that in well differentiated samples (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The overexpression of p53 and C-myc genes might play a role in the carcinogenesis of HCC; And LHN seems a preneoplastic lesion related to hepatocarcinogenesis; No evidence supports that LC contribute directly to the hepatocarcinogenesis.

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