Comparison of p53, HSP90, E-cadherin and HPV in oral lichen planus and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease. There are no markers that can be used to identify the risk of a malignant transformation of OLP to oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

METHODS

Immunohistochemical staining was performed among 56 patients with OLP and 66 patients with OSCC for p53, HSP90 and E-cadherin expression and presence of HPV16/18.

RESULTS

Significant differences in p53 and HSP90 expression between OLP and OSCC were found ( = 0.01 and = 0.006, respectively). A positive correlation between HSP90 and p53 expression was seen in OLP ( = 0.017). Univariate analysis identified HSP90 expression and HPV16/18 presence as prognostic factors for overall survival time (OS) ( < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, only HSP90 expression was an independent prediction factor for shorter OS of OSCC patients ( = 0.016).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study suggests that cooperation between p53 and HSP90 as well as between HPV16/18 and HSP90 exists in OLP and may affect the biological behaviour of OLP. The observed expression of HSP90 and p53 in OLP and their increase in OSCC suggests that these proteins participate in the malignant transformation of OLP. HSP90 may be a potential independent prognostic biomarker that can predict poor prognosis in OSCC.