Expression of p53 in esophageal carcinoma with multiple areas unstained by iodine

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is occasionally associated with multiple areas in the surrounding mucosa unstained with iodine. METHODOLOGY: We examined 21 male patients with superficial esophageal carcinoma. Group 1 consisted of 4 cases of superficial esophageal carcinoma associated with multiple lesions that did not stain with iodine. Group 2 comprised 17 cases of a solitary tumor without major additional lesions in the mucosa. We assessed the correlation between clinicopathological factors, a history of tobacco and alcohol consumption, and p53 expression in the two groups. RESULTS: We found four cases (group 1) of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma where there were a total of 10 satellite tumors in addition to the main tumor. These patients tended to have a higher daily consumption of tobacco and alcohol than those in group 2. Moreover in all these group 1 cases there was intraepithelial spread of the tumors and p53 overexpression in all of the main and additional tumors. CONCLUSIONS: We have found that higher tobacco and alcohol consumption are closely related to multiple lesions unstained by iodine and abnormal expression of the p53 gene.