Immunohistochemical Expression of ki-67 and p53 in Colorectal Adenomas: A Clinicopathological Study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the significance of P53 and Ki-67 expression as immunohistochemical markers in early detection of premalignant changes in different types of colorectal adenomas. Also, to correlate immunohistochemical expression of the two markers with different clinicopathological parameters including; age, and sex of the patient, type, site, size and grade of dysplasia of colorectal adenomas.

METHODS: Forty-seven polypectomy specimens of colorectal adenomas were retrieved from the archival materials of the Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Diseases Teaching Hospital in Baghdad from 2009 - 2010. Four µm section specimens were stained by immunohistochemical technique with Ki-67 and P53 tumor markers. P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: Immunohistochemical expressions of Ki-67 and P53 had a significant correlation with the size and grade of dysplasia in colorectal adenomas. However, there was no significant correlation among the immunohistochemical expression of Ki-67 and P53 with the age and gender of the patient, and the type and site of colorectal adenomas. There was no significant correlation between Ki-67 and P53 expressions in colorectal adenomas. Villous adenomas of colorectum showed a significant correlation with the grade of dysplasia, while there was no significant correlation between size and site of colorectal adenoma with the grade of dysplasia.

CONCLUSION: High grade dysplasia with significant positive immunohistochemical markers of Ki-67 and P53 could be valuable parameters for selecting from the total colorectal adenoma population, those most deserving of close surveillance in follow-up cancer prevention programs. It is closely linked with increasing age particularly in patients with a large size adenoma of villous component in their histology.