Background: Serum p53 antibodies (p53-Ab) have been detected in some cancers. The possible correlation between serum p53-Ab levels in drainage blood from the azygos vein in patients with esophageal carcinoma and prognosis was investigated.
Materials and methods: Serum p53-Ab levels were examined in both the peripheral and azygos veins of 57 patients, and in the peripheral vein of 17 healthy volunteers. Serum p53-Ab levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: The positive rate of serum p53-Ab in the peripheral vein of the patients was 31.6%, significantly higher than that of the normal volunteers. There were no significant correlations between the clinicopathological features and the serum p53-Ab in either the peripheral or azygos veins. Serum p53-Ab levels in either vein did not correlate with prognosis in the univariate survival analysis, although the levels in the two veins were significantly correlated.
Conclusion: Serum p53-Ab levels in the azygos vein did not reflect the tumor status or prognosis more directly or accurately than those in the peripheral vein, since levels in the two veins were similar. Therefore, measurement of serum p53-Ab in the azygos vein does not appear to be necessary.