Expression of p53 and C-myc genes and its clinical relevance in the hepatocellular carcinomatous and pericarcinomatous tissues.

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 immunohistochemically 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.