Over-expression of p53 protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma of women

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Most physicians naturally accept the etiological aspect that the incidence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is excessively more frequent in men than that in women. However, a definitely scientific confirmation to explain it has not been found. In the current study, we investigated the relationship between gender and p53 over-expression, which might resolve the difference between the genders in the mechanism for carcinogenesis in ESCC. METHODOLOGY: Immunohistochemical expression of p53 was examined for 134 ESCCs, and the correlation of the gender with the clinicopathologic features and over-expression of p53 was compared. RESULTS: The proportion of p53 over-expression in women was 23.8% (5 out of 21) and this incidence proportion was significantly lower than that in men (48.7%, 55 out of 113; p=0.031). CONCLUSIONS: This biological modulation might be correlated with the lower incidence of ESCC in women.