Prognostic significance of p53 and Ki-67 antigen expression in surgically treated non-small cell lung cancer: immunocytochemical detection with imprint cytology.

The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of the expression of p53 and Ki-67 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using immunocytochemical detection. All consecutive NSCLC cases were selected for study, and, after surgery, a part of each tumor sample was frozen at -20 degrees C and stored for immunocytochemical studies. Overexpression of p53 was associated significantly with worse patient outcome in stage I disease, whereas no excess risk was evident in stage II and III cases.