P53 mutations in carcinoma breast-a clinicopathological study

ABSTRACT

To find out the incidence of p53 mutations and their possible correlation with clinicopathological presentation in females with breast carcinoma. SETTINGS Department of Surgery, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy four patients with operable carcinoma breast that underwent mastectomy were included in this prospective study. Tumour tissue specimens and peripheral blood samples were examined for p53 mutations. Age, tumour size, nodal status and histopathology was assessed in patients with and without p53 mutations. Ten [13.5%] patients showed p53 mutations in their tumour specimens while 64 [86.48%] had normally functioning p53 gene. Patients were divided into two groups, A [normally functioning p53], and B [mutated p53]. Intraductal carcinoma was the most frequent histological variant[A = 57, B = 10], while lymph nodes were involved in 67.19% [A = 47] and 60% [B = 6] cases respectively. The age of patients and clinical parameters [tumour size, nodal status and histopathological diagnosis] were compared between the two groups and no statistically significant correlation between p53 mutations and clinicopathological parameters was found. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that p53 mutation is present in carcinoma breast in Pakistani population but there was no significant correlation between p53 mutation and tumour aggressiveness [size, nodal status and histopathology]