Correlations of p53 expression with transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound findings of cervical cancer after radiotherapy.

PURPOSE: To investigate the correlations of p53 expression with transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound findings of cervical cancer after radiotherapy (RT).

METHODS: A total of 78 patients with cervical cancer (stage II and III) treated in the Oncology Department of our hospital from March 2011 to September 2017 were enrolled, and another 10 normal cervical tissue specimens were taken from the Pathology Department as controls. RT was performed to the 78 enrolled patients. Morphological features of tumor tissues after RT were detected via hematoxylineosin (HE) staining, the mutant p53 protein level was detected via immunohistochemistry (IHC), and imaging signs and blood flow resistance index (RI) of cervical cancer were detected via transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound. Finally, the correlations of p53 protein with transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound findings were analyzed.

RESULTS: After RT, most cervical cancer tissues showed nuclear degeneration, karyolysis, cytoplasmic keratosis (vacuolization), and regeneration and fibrosis of cancer tissues. The expression of p53 was negative in normal cervix, while there were 48 p53-positive cases (61.54%) and 30 p53-negative cases (38.46%) in patients with cervical cancer (p<0.05). No echo was detected in 2 out of 78 patients, and there were 4 cases of equal echo, 36 cases of low echo and 36 cases of high echo. Results of x2 test showed that the positive rate of p53 protein was significantly correlated with cervical space-occupying lesion and mass diameter shown in transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound (p<0.05), but it had no significant correlation with pelvic lymph node metastasis (p>0.05). The p53 protein expression level was significantly correlated with color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) grading and RI (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The p53 protein expression in cervical cancer after RT is significantly correlated with cervical space-occupying lesion and tumor size shown in transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound, CDFI grading and RI. p53 level and transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound can provide certain valuable clinical information for the treatment and monitoring of cervical cancer.