Relationship of immunohistochemistry scores of altered p53 protein expression in relation to patient's habits and histological grades and stages of squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND

p53 mutations are etiologically associated with the development of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) or with exposure to specific carcinogens. The study was conducted to examine the relationship of immunohistochemistry (IHC) scores between altered p53 protein expression in relation to patient's habits and histological grades and stages of SCC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

IHC scores of p53 protein expression were determined and correlated on 100 biopsies from patients with matched habits, age, sex and site including 20 normal skin and 80 SCC samples of various grades and stages.

RESULTS

A good association of p53 expression was seen among smokers and betel quid (BQ) users. As compared with normal skin (2.45 +/- 1.26), the SCC sample showed a significant rise in IHC scores for p53 protein expression, with transitions from SCC in situ to well-differentiated SCC to moderately differentiated SCC to poorly differentiated SCC (27.5 +/- 2.7, 41.2 +/- 5.8, 42.83 +/- 5.26 and 71.05 +/- 13.3, respectively). Finally, IHC scores for p53 expression were found to be related to histological grading and staging of SCC (r = 0.9322, r = 0.863, p < 0.0001 and p < 0.5).

CONCLUSION

IHC scores of altered p53 protein expression are closely related to the habits of the patients and histological grades and stages of SCC. 'This relationship may be accounted for by the facts that smoking and use of BQ may induce an alteration to p53 that, in turn, may lead to the development and progression of SCC'.