Expression of TP53 in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its correlation with adverse histopathological features.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the expression of TP53 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to correlate its expressions with adverse histopathological features like depth of invasion (DOI), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), perineural invasion (PNI), extranodal extension (ENE), and margin status which significantly affect the prognosis.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study included 48 patients of OSCC who underwent surgical resection. All the histopathological adverse features such as DOI, LVI, PNI, ENE, margin status were noted. Immunohistochemical expression of TP53 was noted and a correlation of TP53 with histopathological adverse features was done. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software.

Results: TP53 immunopositivity was seen in 45.83% (22/48) of cases. TP53 has a statistically significant correlation with margin status (P = 0.002). Similarly, TP53 expression is more in cases with LVI (100% cases) though the value is not statistically significant. TP53 expressions are more in positive margin cases and less if the margin is >5 mm. Similarly, TP53 expression is more in cases with LVI (100% cases) though the value is not statistically significant.

Conclusion: Few parameters that did not show the correlation of TP53 with adverse histopathological features could be attributed to a small sample size. Further studies with a large number of cases and using other ancillary molecular diagnostic techniques would throw further light on the exact alteration of TP53 in our population and their association with histopathological prognostic features.