title: The presence of p16 CDKN2A protein immunostaining within feline nasal planum squamous cell carcinomas is associated with an increased survival time and the presence of papillomaviral DNA.
abstract: In humans, oral SCCs are either caused by papillomavirus (PV) infection or by other carcinogens such as tobacco. As these 2 groups of SCCs have different causes they also have different clinical behaviors. Immunostaining using anti-p16(CDKN2A) protein (p16) antibodies is used to indicate a PV etiology in human oral SCCs and p16-positive SCCs have a more favorable prognosis. The present study investigated whether p16 immunostaining within feline nasal planum SCCs was similarly associated with the presence of PV DNA and with a longer survival time. Intense p16 immunostaining was visible in 32 of 51 (63%) SCCs. In 30 cats with nonexcised SCCs, cats with p16-positive neoplasms had a longer estimated mean survival time (643 days) than cats with p16-negative SCCs (217 days, P = .013). Papillomavirus DNA was amplified more frequently from p16-positive nasal planum SCCs (28 of 32) than p16-negative SCCs (5 of 19, P < .001). The different survival times in cats with p16-positive and p16-negative SCCs suggests that p16 could be a useful prognostic indicator in these common feline cancers. As the clinical behavior of the SCCs can be subdivided using p16 immunostaining, the 2 groups of SCCs may be caused by different factors, supporting a PV etiology in a proportion of feline nasal planum SCCs.
authors: Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. j.munday@massey.ac.nz
authors: J S
authors: JS
authors: Munday
authors: A F
authors: AF
authors: French
authors: I R
authors: IR
authors: Gibson
authors: C G
authors: CG
authors: Knight
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D002415:Cats; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D004279:DNA, Viral