AIM:To evaluate the effects of p53 on apoptosis andproliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells treatedwith transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE).METHODS:A total of 136 patients with HCC received TACEand other management before surgery were divided intoTACE group and non-TACE group.TACE group included 79patients who had 1-5 courses of TACE before surgery,ofthem,11 patients had 1-4 courses of chemotherapy (groupA),33 patients had 1-5 courses of chemotherapy combinedwith iodized oil (group B),23 patients had 1-3 courses ofchemotherapy,iodized oil and gelatin sponge (group C),12patients had 1-3 courses of chemotherapy combined withiodized oil,ethanol and gelatin sponge (group D).Non-TACEgroup included the remaining 57 patients who had surgeryonly.The extent of apoptosis was analyzed by transferasemediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining.Theexpressions of p53,Bcl-2,Bax,Ki-67 and PCNA protein weredetected by immunohistochemical method.RESULTS:P53 protein expressions in trabecular and clearcells in HCC specimens were significantly lower than that inpseudoglandar,solid,poorly differentiated or undifferentiatedand sclerosis HCC (P<0.05).Expression of p53 protein inHCC cells increased with the increase of pathological grades(P<0.05),and correlated positively with expressions of Ki-67 and PCNA protein,and negatively with Bcl-2 to Bax proteinexpression rate and AI (P<0.05).Expression of p53 proteinwas significantly higher in group A than in groups B,C,Dand the non-TACE group,and was higher in group B than ingroups C and D,and lower in group D than in the non-TACEgroup (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Expression of p53 protein can enhanceproliferation of HCC cells and suppress apoptosis of HCCcells after TACE. AIM: To evaluate the effects of p53 on apoptosis and proliferative of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). METHODS: A total of 136 patients with HCC received TACE and other management before surgery were divided into TACE group and non-TACE group TACE group included 79patients who had 1-5 courses of TACE before surgery, ofthem, 11patients had 1-4 courses of chemotherapy (group A), 33patients had 1-5 courses of chemotherapy combinedwith iodized oil (group B), 23 patients had 1-3 courses of chemotherapy, iodized oil and gelatin sponge (group C), 12patients had 1-3 courses of chemotherapy combined withiodized oil, ethanol and gelatin sponge (group D) .Non-TACEgroup included the remaining 57 patients who had surgeryonly. The extent of apoptosis was analyzed by transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Expressions of p53, Bcl-2, Bax, Ki-67 and PCNA proteins weredetected by immunohistochemical method.RESULTS: P53 protein expressio ns in trabecular and clear cells in HCC specimens were significantly lower than that in pseudoglandar, solid, poorly differentiated or undifferentiated and sclerosis HCC (P <0.05) .Expression of p53 protein in HCC cells increased with the increase of pathological grades (P <0.05), and correlated positively with expressions of Ki-67 and PCNA protein, and negatively with Bcl-2 to Bax proteinexpression rate and AI (P <0.05) .Expression of p53 protein was significantly higher in group A than in groups B, C, Dand the non-TACE group, and was higher in group B than ingroups C and D, and lower in group D than in the non-TACE group (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Expression of p53 protein can enhanceproliferation of HCC cells and suppressor apoptosis of HCC cells after TACE.