Prognostic impact of p16 and p53 expression in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas.
BACKGROUND
A p16 protein is known to be overexpressed in human papillomavirus-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma specimens. p53 is a tumor suppressor protein detectable by immunohistochemistry in carcinogen-associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma as a result of gene mutations. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prognostic impact of p16 and p53 expression in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas.


METHODS
We retrospectively examined the relationship between prognosis, and p16 and p53 expression levels of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma specimens in 53 patients using immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Overall, 55% of patients were p16 positive and 45% p16 negative, while 28% were p53 positive and 72% p53 negative. The p16 status showed an inverse relationship with the p53 status. A survival analysis by p16 status, p53 status, Union for International Cancer Control stage and main treatment modality demonstrated that only p16 status was related to better prognosis in terms of overall survival and disease-specific survival (3-year overall survival, 87 vs. 62%, P = 0.02; 3-year disease-specific survival, 90 vs. 62%, P = 0.02). To evaluate the practical prognostic factors in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients, we classified patients as either p16-positive or p53-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas, representing human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma with wild-type p53 or the remaining patients with p16-negative or p53-positive OPSCCs, respectively. The former group showed survival advantages in terms of overall survival and disease-specific survival by log-tank test compared with the latter group (3-year overall survival, 96 vs. 58%, P = 0.005; 3-year disease-specific survival, 96 vs. 63%, P = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
A group of patients who were p16 positive/p53 negative had better prognoses in terms of overall survival and disease-specific survival than that who were p16-positive alone.
*Minatojima-minamimachi 2-1-1, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan. sinosino@kcho.jp.
Shogo
S
Shinohara
Masahiro
M
Kikuchi
Risa
R
Tona
Yuji
Y
Kanazawa
Ippei
I
Kishimoto
Hiroyuki
H
Harada
Yukihiro
Y
Imai
Yu
Y
Usami
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000032:analysis*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
C000614131:CDKN2A protein, human; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D004279:DNA, Viral; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
human papilloma virus; immunohistochemistry; oropharyngeal carcinoma; p16; p53; prognosis