Prognostic significance of P27 (Kip 1) and MUC1 in papillary transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder

AIM: To examine p27 (Kip 1) and MUC1 expression in specimens of papillary transitional cell carcinoma (PTCC) of the urinary bladder and to correlate their expression with the tumor grades,stages and outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Paraffin sections from previously diagnosed PTCC bladder were graded, staged and the patients were followed up for 5 years. Ten non-neoplastic urological lesions diagnosed as polypoid cystitis were taken as control. Three sections of 4 um thickness were obtained from every case. One was hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) stained for diagnosis, reviewing and confirmation. The other two sections were immunohistochemically stained for both p27and MUC1. The data of immunohistochemical results were correlated with the following conventional prognostic variables: tumor grade, stage, distant metastasis and 5 year survival. RESULTS: The results showed a highly significant and an insignificant relationship between p27 expression and tumor grade and stage (P<0.01 and P>0.05), respectively. Correlating p27 expression with distant metastasis and overall survival showed a significant relationship with distant metastasis (P<0.05) and a highly significant one with overall survival (P<0.01). The results showed also a significant relationship between MUC1 expression and both tumor grade (P<0.01) and overall survival (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: p27 and MUC1 immunohistochemistry augment the classic histochemistry for the prognosis of PTCC of the bladder as well as improving the prediction of the patient outcome and survival.