Background: The present study aimed to analyze the pattern of p53 expression and its influence on survival in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
Materials and methods: An immunohistochemical technique with BP53-12 antibody was performed on stored tissue from 78 patients with OSCC (intraoral cancer n=40; lip cancer n=38). The nuclear and cytoplasmic extension of p53 staining was assessed. Clinical and histopathological data were gathered and the patient survival was analyzed.
Results: 57.7% (n=45) of the OSCCs expressed p53, with nuclear expression in 52.6% (n=41) of cases and cytoplasmic expression in 24.4% (n=19). The OSCCs with extensive nuclear expression of p53 showed dissociated patterns of invasion of adjacent tissues (p<0.05). A greater extension of cytoplasmic expression of p53 most commonly appeared in tumors that were better-differentiated (p<0.005), more keratinized (p<0.01) and with less nuclear atypia (p<0.05). The parameters that significantly influenced survival of patients were tumor localization (p<0.01), size (p<0.0001), lymph node invasion (p<0.0001), clinical stage (p<0.0001), differentiation degree (p<0.01) and nucleargrade (p<0.01).
Conclusion: The expression of p53 protein did not behave as a marker of prognostic value in patients with OSCC.