The expression of P53 and C-myc protein in gastric cancer and intestinal metaplasia

Purpose To study the roles of P53 and C-myc protein expression in the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer. Methods P53 and C-myc gene proteins were immunohistochemically examined in 60 patients with gastric carcinoma, 10 patients with intestinal metaplasia and 10 controls. Results In the cancer group the expression of mutant P53 and C-myc was markedly increased ( P 0.01). The expression of mutant P53 and C-myc in intestinal metaplasia group was not significantly higher than those of normal controls ( P 0.05), while the expression of c-myc in the intsetinal metaplasia was signifiantly lower than that in the cancer group ( P 0.01). Conclusion The mutation and inactivation of P53 gene and activation of C-myc gene may play an important role in the gastric cancer. C-myc may be a useful marker in predicting the change from intestinal metaplasia to gastric cancer.