Prognostic significance of p53 over expression in thin melanomas

Abstract

Metastasis by thin melanomas is uncommon and unpredictable. In order to assess the prognostic value of p53 expression, p53 immunohistochemical staining was evaluated in 20 thin melanomas with documented metastasis and in 20 control tumours which failed to metastasize. Tumours selected were less than 1 mm thick and were individually matched for tumour thickness, date of excision and patient age and sex. The relative risk of metastasis given p53 overexpression was 1.5 (95% confidence interval 0.4–5.3; p = 0.53). Further quantitative analysis for p53 between the two groups did not demonstrate a significant difference (p-0.08). These results are consistent with there being no association between..