title: Quantitative cell-cycle protein expression in oral cancer assessed by computer-assisted system.
abstract: The knowledge of cell-cycle control has shown that the capacity of malignant growth is acquired by the stepwise accumulation of defects in specific genes regulating cell growth. Histologic diagnosis might be improved by a quantitative evaluation of more specific diagnosis biomarkers, which could help to precisely identify pre-malignant and malignant oral lesions. The aim of the present study is to evaluate whether computer-based quantitative assessment of p53, PCNA and Ki-67 immunohistochemical expression, could be used clinically to foresee the risk of oral malignant transformation. This retrospective study was carried out in ninety-five oral biopsies, 27 were classified as fibrous inflammatory hyperplasia, 40 as leukoplakia and 28 as oral squamous cell carcinoma. Sixteen out of the 40 leukoplakia were diagnosed as non-dysplastic leukoplakia, the other 24 being dysplastic leukoplakia, of which 50.0% were classified as moderate to severe dysplasia. Comparison of the four groups of oral tissues showed significant rises in p53 and Ki-67 positivity index, which increased steadily in the order benign, pre-malignant, and malignant. In contrast, it was not possible to relate higher PCNA levels with pre-malignant and malignant oral lesions. We therefore conclude that PCNA immunohistochemistry expression is probably an inappropriate marker to identify oral carcinogenesis, whereas joint quantitative evaluation of p53 and Ki-67, appears to be useful as a tumor marker, providing a pre-diagnostic estimate of the potential for cell-cycle deregulation of the oral proliferate status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, University of São Paulo State (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil. soarescp@hotmail.com
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: J A S
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Zuanon
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Teresa
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Fregonezi
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: M R B
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Donadi
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Martinelli-Kläy
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Soares
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53