DNA and paraffin material of more than 100 tumors of prostate, bladder and female genital organs were analyzed for p53 aberrations and compared with normal tissues by immunohistochemistry, PCR of p53 exons 5-8 and TGGE. While normal tissues, precancerous and borderline lesions, and well differentiated carcinomas usually showed wild type p53 and negative immunostaining, high grade and/or high stage carcinomas often revealed mutant p53 (rate of mutation in exon 8 >> 7 >> 6 >> 5) and/or p53 accumulation. Accumulation of p53 protein in the absence of detectable mutant p53 was recognized more often in prostate cancer than in any other tumor examined. Although p53 aberration probably represents a late molecular event in cancerogenesis, its detection may be of clinical interest as genetic footprint in recurrent and metastatic disease.
