Background
/Aims: Gastric carcinoma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Korea. It evolves through dysplasia to an invasive adenocarcinoma. The carcinogenesis of dysplasia and adenocarcinoma in the stomach was investigated by examining the levels of mutant p53 protein, p21waf1/cip1, and cyclin D1 expression in gastric dysplasia and invasive adenocarcinoma. Methods: Formalin- fixed paraffin-embedded tumors were examined immunohistochemically using the monoclonal antibodies to the 53 protein, p21waf1/cip1 and cyclin D1. Results: Mutant p53 protein, p21waf1/cip1 and cyclin D1 expression were found in 66.6% (12/18), 72.2% (13/18) and 33.8% (6/18) of dysplasia, and 45.0% (9/20), 15.0% (3/20) and 30.0% (6/20) of invasive adenocarcinoma, respectively. Conclusions: These results suggest that p21waf1/cip1, which is controlled by the p53 protein, plays a more important role in the carcinogenesis of the stomach than cyclin D1.