The presence of anti-p53 antibodies in sera prior to thoracic surgery in non small cell lung cancer patients:: Its implications on tumor volume, nodal involvement, and survival

BACKGROUND: During recent years, a correlation between the presence of antibodies in sera against p53 and survival has been reported. The aim of the present study was to analyze anti-p53 antibodies in sera from patients with non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) prior to thoracic surgery and their correlation to survival, nodal involvement, and tumor volume. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum samples from 58 patients with NSCLC admitted to the Department of Pulmonary Medicine in Uppsala were collected between 1993 and 1995 and analyzed for the expression of anti-p53 antibodies. RESULTS: Antibodies against p53 were detected in 12 patients (21%). No association was found between increased levels of anti-p53 antibodies and tumor volume (P=.84). There was a numerical trend towards higher levels of anti-p53 antibodies in patients without nodal disease, when compared with patients with nodal involvement, although not statistically significant (P=.136). However, when patients with metastatic disease were included, statistically significantly lower levels of anti-p53 antibodies were demonstrated, in comparison to patients without any sign of nodal engagement or metastatic disease (P=.038). Anti-p53 antibodies and survival showed no correlation between increasing index levels of anti-p53 antibodies and survival (P=.18). Neither was a correlation found between using the cutoff (>1.1) described by the manufacturer and survival. CONCLUSION: The presence of anti antibodies was correlated neither to survival nor to tumor volume in the present study. However, patients with either nodal or metastatic disease had lower levels of all antibodies in comparison to patients without signs of either nodal or metastatic disease. These issues are discussed.