Immunohistochemical detection of p53 and c-erbB-2 proteins: Prognostic significance in operable breast cancer

We examined the associations of p53 expression and/or c-erbB-2 expression with Ag-NOR counts and clinicopathologic variables in 111 breast cancer patients, and assessed whether expression of either p53 or c-erbB-2 would be useful prognostic indicators. There was no significant association between p⁵³ expression and c-erbB-2 expression, but p53 expression and c-erbB-2 expression, especially in combination, were shown to be significantly associated with Ag-NOR counts and axillary lymph node metastasis. Although p⁵³ expression and c-erbB-2 expression were significant prognostic factors by univariate analysis, they did not appear to be independent prognostic factors by multivariate analysis, in which nodal status was introduced using the Cox model. When nodal status was excluded from the model, however, concurrent p⁵³ and c-erbB-2 expression did have a significant prognostic value. Therefore, it was suggested that concurrent p⁵³ and c-erbB-2 expression provides valuable prognostic information for breast cancer patients in whom axillary lymph node dissection has not been performed.