P16INK4A overexpression predicts lymph node metastasis in cervical carcinomas.
BACKGROUND
The p16(INK4A) protein (p16) is a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor that arrests the cell cycle in the G1 phase.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the potential of p16 as a predictive marker for lymph node (LN) metastasis and prognosis in cervical carcinomas.


METHODS
145 patients diagnosed with FIGO stage I to IV cervical carcinoma were studied; 95 underwent LN dissection. The expression of p16 protein was studied by immunohistochemistry using tissue microarrays.


RESULTS
Overexpression of p16 was seen in 108 of 145 (74.5%) invasive carcinomas. There was a significant correlation between p16 expression and LN metastasis (p=0.007). Patients with p16 overexpression had poorer survival than patients with p16 underexpression (59.3% vs 83.8% 5-year survival rate, log-rank p=0.015). In univariate analysis, p16 expression was a significant predictor of survival (RR 2.76, p=0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that p16 expression is an important predictive factor of LN metastasis in cervical cancer patients. Moreover, p16 overexpression is associated with a poor prognosis. Therefore, immunohistochemical evaluation of p16 expression is of potential value for treatment planning in cervical carcinomas.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Lee-Wen
LW
Huang
Chin-Cheng
CC
Lee
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018196:Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010388:Pelvis; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16