Background: Mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene are the most common genetic changes identified in cancer cells. Several studies report alterations of the p53 gene in vulvar cancer. As observed in a wide variety of human malignomas, mutant p53 protein may provoke a specific humoral immune response. The possible occurrence of p53 antibodies in patients with vulvar cancer has not been investigated so far.
Materials and methods: We used a specific p53 antibody ELISA to investigate serum samples of 41 patients with vulvar cancer taken prior to therapy and serum samples of 17 healthy controls.
Results: Of the 41 patients with vulvar cancer, 4 (10%) were found to be positive for serum p53 antibodies, contrary to the 17 healthy volunteers without p53 serum antibodies (chi-square test, p = 0.2). No significant correlations were found between p53 antibody status and tumor stage (p = 0.64), histological grade (p = 0.89), and patients' age (p = 0.87). We found no significant association between the p53 serum antibody status in vulvar cancer patients and disease-free (p = 0.67) and overall survival (p = 0.7).
Conclusions: In summary, it is the first time that p53 antibodies have been detected in the sera of patients with vulvar cancer. However, p53 serum antibodies did not serve as prognostic markers in vulvar cancer.