Clinicopathological significance of p53 and p21 expression in the surgical treatment of laryngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed at resolving the clinicopathological significance of p53 and p21 expression in patients undergoing surgical treatment for laryngeal carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

p53 and p21 expression were studied by immunohistochemical method on surgical specimens of 193 patients. The expressions of p53 and p21 were correlated with the clinicopathological data.

RESULTS

Of the 193 tumors, 60% had positive p53 expression and 46% had positive p21 expression. Nodal metastasis was significantly correlated with p53 overexpression, supraglottic involvement and moderate- to poor-differentiation of the tumor. There was significant cumulative effect with increasing risk of nodal metastasis with increasing number of risk factors: 0% without any risk factor, 13% with 1 risk factor, 37% with 2 risk factors and 55% with all 3 risk factors.

CONCLUSION

Positive expressions p53 and p21 were common in laryngeal carcinoma. Overexpression of p53 but not p21 was associated with nodal metastasis. The use of p53 expression has added value in providing more accurate prognostic analysis of risk of nodal metastasis in conjunction with site of tumor involvement and tumor grade.