IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL PATTERN OF P53 IN LOW GRADE HUMAN ASTROCYTOMA, SHOHADA-E- TAJRISH HOSPITAL, 1996-2001

Background: Astrocytoma is a CNS tumor for which pathologists could not make diagnosis easily, especially if it is in early stage, due to close pathologic similarity with reactive gliosis. Prior investigators have introduced immunohistochemistry of P53 as a diagnostic modality for astrocytoma, thus, the present study was conducted to determine the immunohistochemical pattern of P53 in low grade human astrocytoma.
Materials and methods: For this descriptive study, all samples with definite diagnosis of astrocytoma were included. Paraffin-embedded blocks were selected and stained for P53 immunohistochemistry. Finally, zeiss microscope was used and samples with brown pigments in astrocyte nucleus were considered positive.
Results: We have studied 55 samples with astrocytoma, of these 37 were males and 18 were females with the mean age of 31±16 years. Immunohistochemical pattern of P53 was positive in 20 samples (36.4%).
Conclusion: Immunohistochemistry of P53 could not be used solely for definite diagnosis of low grade astrocytoma. Thus, we suggest a combination of diagnostic modalities.