Monitoring of p53 autoantibodies after resection of colorectal cancer: relationship to operative curability.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical use of p53 autoantibodies as a marker in the postoperative monitoring of colorectal cancer.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Teaching hospital, Japan.

SUBJECTS

40 patients with colorectal cancer who had p53 autoantibodies in their serum preoperatively.

INTERVENTIONS

Serial assay of p53 autoantibodies by ELISA before and after resection.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Interpretation by a qualitative analysis.

RESULTS

A significant correlation was observed between curability by surgical resection and postoperative disappearance of p53 autoantibodies. Twenty-seven (96%) of 28 patients, who had p53 autoantibodies and whose cancer was completely removed, had no such antibodies after resection and no recurrence after 7 to 26 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative assays of p53 autoantibodies are potentially useful for predicting recurrence of colorectal cancer in patients who have p53 autoantibodies preoperatively.