Loss of p21WAF1/CIP1 expression correlates with disease progression in gastric carcinoma

Previous studies have shown that tumour-suppressor genes play an important role in the progression of solid tumours. Recently, the p21WAF1/CIP1 tumour-suppressor protein has been reported to work as a critical downstream effector of p53 and a potent inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases. Thus, the p21WAF1/CIP1 gene is thought to play a central role in tumour suppression. In this study we investigated p21 protein expression in gastric carcinomas. A total of 172 primary gastric carcinoma specimens were immunohistochemically stained for p21 protein expression. Correlations between p21 expression and clinicopathological features were examined. Loss of p21 expression was observed in 104 of 172 tumour tissues (60.4%), and the frequency of p21 loss increased as the stage progressed. Expression of p21 in the primary tumour was frequently lost in patients with either lymph node, liver or peritoneal metastases as compared with patients without metastases. In patients with p21-negative tumours, the risk of recurrence following curative surgery was significantly higher, and the prognosis was significantly poorer than in patients with p21-positive tumours. Loss of p21 expression in primary gastric carcinoma correlates with disease progression. The status of p21 gene expression may have prognostic value in this disease.