Flow cytometry expression of p53 and PCNA in oral/oropharynx carcinomas and their lymph node metastases.

The aim of this work was to characterize p53 and PCNA expression in primary tumours and lymph node metastases of oral/oropharynx carcinomas by flow cytometry and to evaluate the possibility of a relationship between these parameters in primary tumours and locoregional metastasis, clinical-histopathological parameters and survival time. A group of 28 patients was retrospectively selected: 13 with metastasis and 15 without metastasis. The following clinical and histopathological parameters were considered: degree of keratinization, Broders' grading of histological differentiation, invasive cell grading, thickness and tumour size.

Do Ki67, S-phase, S + G2M and DNA ploidy, evaluated by flow cytometry, reveal locoregional metastasis in oral cavity and oropharynx carcinomas?

Tumour cell proliferation is an important biological prognostic parameter to be considered alongside clinical and histopathological parameters. It has been evaluated by immunohistochemistry using proliferative markers (PCNA, Ki67, etc.) and by flow cytometry considering DNA content, growth fraction (S + G2M) and S-phase fraction.