ABSTRACT

The cells are either in dividing or resting state. p 16 INK4a, arrests the cell cycle in late period of G1 stage, by inhibiting RB phosphorylation. The studies in recent years have shown that, in 30-50% of colorectal cancer, CpG portion of promoter region of p16 gene is hypermethylated. In developed countries, colorectal carcinoma is the third most common cancer. In most cases, colorectal carcinoma develops from dysplastic adenomatous polyps. The major treatment of colorectal carcinoma is surgical excision. In order to estimate the prognosis of this cancer, some prognostic parameters are used. In our study, the prognostic significance of expression of p16 tumor suppressor gene in colorectal cancer cases was investigated by comparing it with other prognostic factors.

In 2 of 54 cases included in the study, staining was not observed. In the rest of the cases, the expression of p16 was compared with the other prognostic factors by diffusiveness and intensity.

As a result, no statistically significant relationship was observed between the diffusiveness and the intensity of p16 and the age, sex, diameter, macroscopic type, histological grade, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, pattern of spread, inflammatory and desmoplastic reaction, existence of dysplasia in adjacent mucosa, number of mitosis.

No relationship was observed between p16 expression in colorectal cancers and prognostic parameters.