Immunohistochemical detection of p53 protein in neoplastic, preneoplastic and normal bronchial mucosa specimens obtained during diagnostic bronchoscopy.

The expression of p53 protein was evaluated immunochemically in cancer tissue, preneoplastic lesions and normal bronchial mucosa obtained during diagnostic bronchoscopy from 53 patients with lung cancer and 12 patients with benign lung diseases. In lung cancer patients, positive p53 staining was detected in 26/53 (49%) of the tumour specimens. In preneoplastic lesions p53 positive staining was found in 8 of 24 (33.