Objective: To determine immunohistochemically the expression of mutant p53 phosphoprotein in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its possible relationship to several etiologic factors.
Study design: The study group consisted of 62 samples of HCC, grades 2, 3 and 4, obtained by fine needle aspiration cytology. The associated risk factors detected in these patients were as follows: ethanol abuse, ethanol abuse plus hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, HBV infection, HCV infection, non-A/ non-B hepatitis, hemochromatosis and obesity.
Results: Mutant p53 expression was identified in 22% of HCC and seemed to correlate with tumor grade. Positive immunostaining was frequently associated with a history of alcohol abuse (42%) and also with viral infection (HBV, 21%; HCV, 7%; non-A/non-B hepatitis, 7%).
Conclusion: Mutant p53 seems to intervene in the progress of HCC through various grades of increasing malignancy. The association we found between alcohol intake and mutant p53 expression may deserve further investigation.