Prognostic significance of TP53 mutations in oral squamous cell carcinoma with human papilloma virus infection.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic impact of mutated TP53 in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) whose tumors were infected with human papillomavirus (HPV).


METHODS
Thirty-two HPV-positive OSCC patients were included. Most of them were clinically classified as stage III (n=29). All patients underwent postoperative radiotherapy (follow-up from 12 to 60 months, median 32). There were 21 relapses. DNA was isolated by phenol extraction from tumor tissue. HPV DNA (type 16, 18, 31, 33) was detected in genomic DNA of the tumors by the PCR-PAGE method. TP53 mutations (exons 4-8) were detected by the PCR-SSCP method.


RESULTS
A statistically significant difference in the number of relapses in HPV-infected (13/21) versus HPV-infected and TP53-mutated (8/8) patients was observed. Patients with both TP53 mutation and HPV infection had a significantly shorter disease-free interval than patients with HPV infection only (median 6 versus 31 months, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
TP53 mutations are associated with a higher risk of relapse and contribute to an even worse prognosis of patients with OSCC when the tumors are HPV infected. The shorter disease-free interval in patients with TP53 mutations indicates that the response to postoperative radiotherapy may be influenced by TP53 status. The presence of both HPV infection and TP53 mutations may define a particular group of tumors with a more aggressive phenotype in advanced OSCC.
Kozomara
R J
RJ
Clinical of Maxillofacial Surgery, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia.
Brankovic-Magic
M V
MV
Jovic
N R
NR
Stosic
S M
SM
Magic
Z M
ZM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology*; D009154:Mutation; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012306:Risk