Expression of p21~(waf1), c-erbB-2, and p53 Genes in Node-Negative Breast Carcinoma and Their Clinical Significance

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the expression of p21waf1, c-erbB-2, and p53 in node-negative breast cancer in relation to the clinicopathological parameters and prognosis. Methods: Expression of p21waf1, c-erbB-2 and p53 in 121 patients were determined by LSAB immunohistochemical method, and Kaplan-Meter method and Cox proportional hazard model were used to analyze the relationship of their expressions with prognosis. Results: (1) The expression rate of p21waf1 was 48. 8% , and was in connection with histological grade and ER-positive. (2 ) The expression rate of p53 and c-erbB-2 was 36. 4% and 26. 4% respectively. C-erbB-2 positive expression was associated with histological grade. (3 ) the expression of p21waf1 was inversely correlated with that of p53 protein (P 0. 05 ). (4) the results of survival analysis with Kaplan-Meter method showed that better disease-free survival(DFS) in the patients with p21waf1 expression than those without, the negative c-erbB-2 expression exhibited a significantly better prognosis than positive c-erbB-2 expression (P 0. 01 ). Conclusions: There was a significant correlation between the expression of p21waf1, c-erbB-2, and tumor grade; a p53-indenpent pathway can mainly induce the expression of p21waf1; p21waf1 expression was a good prognostic marker for the patients with node-negative breast cancer; c-erbB- 2 positive expression was an independent prognostic marker.