Serum anti-p53 antibodies as a diagnostic tumor marker: observations in patients with malignant and premalignant oral cavity lesions.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether serum anti-p53 antibody (p53-Abs) positivity in patients with oral carcinoma corresponds with tumor localization, histological grade, stage, and recurrence.


METHODS
The study population was divided into three groups: controls; patients with a premalignant lesion; and patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The third group was composed of patients attending outpatient services for pathological diagnosis or for follow-up monitoring only. The cancer patients had undergone resective surgery in local anesthesia. Serum p53-Abs levels were measured using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and monitored over a 3-year follow-up period.


RESULTS
Controls and patients with premalignant lesions did not test positive for p53-Abs at ELISA testing. Patients with a malignant lesion tested positive at initial diagnosis when a high histopathological grade lesion was present or localized to the posterior region of the oral cavity. Postoperative serum p53-Abs levels gradually declined until complete seronegativity. Patients with a recurrent tumor tested positive for p53-Abs.


CONCLUSIONS
Seropositivity for p53-Abs may be associated with histopathological tumor grade, localization, and recurrence. The findings suggest that serum p53-Abs analysis is a useful diagnostic marker for oral SCC.
Porrini
R
R
Odontostomatologic Surgery, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Vercellino
V
V
Rocchetti
V
V
Renò
F
F
Giorda
E
E
Pomato
E
E
Cannas
M
M
Sabbatini
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000276:immunology*
D000906:Antibodies; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53