Field cancerization in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: immunohistochemical expression of p53 and Ki67 proteins: clinicopathological study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study is aimed to evaluate the immunostaining influence of p53 and Ki67 proteins in areas of field cancerization of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We analyzed associations of these proteins with clinicopathological parameters and the relation between their immunoexpression in HNSCC. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In a retrospecive analysis, 40 patients with HNSCC were selected according to the recurrence of the disease, forming two groups: recurrent and non-recurrent HNSCC. Morphological gradations and imunnohistochemical analysis of p53 and Ki67 were performed in invasive front and tumor adjacent epithelium. RESULTS: It was found significant associations between tumor recurrence and p53 positivity in mucosa and invasive front. However, no association was found between p53 immunostaining and the clinicopathological parameters. Ki67 was not related to any clinicopathological parameter either. The association between Ki67 and p53 expression was not significant. There was no significant influence of recurrence in the clinicopathological parameters. Individuals with T1/T2 tumor size, non-recurrent and p53-negative in tumor adjacent epithelium presented better overall survival of HNSCC. CONCLUSION: p53 positivity in adjacent epithelium and invasive front of recurrent HNSCC is suggested in this study