Prognostic value of expression of p53, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and c-erbB-2 in laryngeal carcinoma.

Background: The molecular mechanisms in malignant transformation of laryngeal mucosa are unknown; many clinical and pathological factors affect prognosis. We investigated a possible correlation between overexpression of p53, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and c-erbB-2, and the clinicopathologic features of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and clarify their prognostic value.

Material/methods: Thirty-three men with laryngeal SCC participated; all underwent primary surgery or surgery plus radiotherapy between 1999 and 2004 at our department. Paraffin sections of laryngeal SCC were immunohistochemically stained for p53, PCNA, and c-erbB-2.

Results: Overall, p53 overexpression was found in 16 patients. There was no relation between p53 immunohistochemical staining and tumor region. PCNA immunostaining was significantly stronger in supraglottic tumors compared with glottic tumors. Immunostaining of c-erbB-2 was not different in either location. There was no relation between the T stage of the tumor and p53 and c-erbB-2 immunostaining. However, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the PCNA staining and T stage (stronger staining was present in T3 and T4 stages than in T1 and T2 stages).

Conclusions: We could not find a statistically significant correlation between p53, PCNA, and c-erbB-2 and lymph node status, histologic differentiation, and survival rate. We demonstrated only a statistically significant positive correlation between PCNA staining and T stage. These data suggest that overexpression of p53, PCNA, and c-erbB-2 is not prognostic in laryngeal SCC.