Background: This study investigated the relationships between the numeric aberrations of chromosome 17 and p53 expression, the proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index (PCNA-LI) and histopathology, to determine their prognostic significance in bladder cancer.
Methods: Using in situ hybridization (ISH) with a biotin-labeled chromosome-specific DNA probe, the copy number of pericentromeric sequences in chromosome 17 were detected within interphase nuclei in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections from 59 nonmetastasized transitional cell carcinomas (TCCs) of the urinary bladder. Expression of p53 and PCNA-LI were determined in serial sections by an immunohistochemical method.
Results: The percentage of hyperdiploid cells for chromosome 17 correlated with p53 overexpression (P< 0.002), PCNA-LI (P< 0.002), increasing tumor grade (P< 0.002) and advanced pathologic stage (P< 0.002). The average percentage of hyperdiploid cells was lower in tumors with negative p53 expression than in tumors with p53 overexpression (P< 0.002). Also, more polysomic TCCs were found in muscle-invasive than in superficial cases (P< 0.01 ), and there was a difference in both p53 overexpression or PCNA-LI between disomic and polysomic TCCs (P< 0.01). Patients with chromosome 17 disomic tumors showed less frequent tumor progression than patients with polysomic tumors (P< 0.05). However, chromosome 17 polysomy was an independent prognostic indicator only for patient survival (P< 0.05).
Conclusion: The occurrence and extent of numeric aberrations of chromosome 17 may be associated with the evolution of aggressive growth in TCC and may be a useful indicator for survival.