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Background: Wild p53 protein is believed to play a role in the regulation of cell proliferation. Various studies report that overexpression of mutated p53 protein in colorectal cancer correlates with poor prognosis. However, other reports in the literature correlate low expression of this protein and adverse outcome. The study goal was to investigate whether a relationship between levels of p53 and survival exists in our patients.Methods: Archival samples of consecutive colorectal tumors from 29 patients with Duke's C colon carcinoma underwent immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody against p53. The same physician performed all analyses. The immunoreactivity of the p53 protein in the tumor was compared with clinicopathologic findings in each case. Prognosis was evaluated by univariate analysis. The pathologists were blinded to outcome or life span of the patient.Results: Statistical analysis (MedCalc) with a Kaplan-Meier survival curve was performed, graphing the level of p53 staining in tumor tissue versus survival in months. In patients with absent or low expression of p53, median survival was 5.3 months versus at least 122 months in patients with a high expression of p53 (P < 0.0005).Conclusions: These data suggest that absent p53 in colorectal tumors is a significant risk factor. The deletion of both p53 alleles at a genomic level may be responsible for poor survival in some patients. Our findings suggest that lack of p53 expression is more relevant to survival than overexpression. This article discusses pathogenic mechanism for lack of this expression and poor survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy is a benign disorder often characterized by spontaneous remission. Although immunologic abnormalities are common and high Epstein Barr virus titers have been reported, to date no case has been associated with malignant lymphoma. The authors report here the first case of this association.