Background: The aims of the present study were to assess the prevalence of HSP27 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to verify whether HSP27 can be considered to be a marker of prognosis in patients with OSCC.
Materials and methods: The immunohistochemical expression of HSP27 was evaluated in 57 OSCC, who received standard treatment and monitoring. After grouping for HSP27 expression, OSCCs were statistically analysed for the variables age, gender, histological grading, TNM, staging and survival rate. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.
Results: HSP27 was found to be reduced in 31 OSCC and was normally expressed in 26 OSCC. The pattern and intensity of HSP27 immunolabelling did not show significant differences in relation to any variables retrospectively considered. In terms of prognostic significance, HSP27 reduced expression was found to have an independent association with the poorest overall survival rate (p=0.009; OR= 4.404; CI=1.444:13.427 by Cox regression).
Conclusion: HSP27 reduced expression is an early marker of poor prognosis, useful in identifying aggressive biological behaviour in OSCC cases even before relapse.