title: Potential utility of p63 expression in differential diagnosis of non-small-cell lung carcinoma and its effect on prognosis of the disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  P63 is a gene located in chromosome 3q27-29, which has been implicated in regulation of stem cell commitment and promotion of squamous differentiation in various tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there was a correlation between p63 expression, differential diagnosis of lung carcinoma, and prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical expression of p63 in 62 lung carcinomas was investigated and mRNA analysis using RT-PCR method was done in 6 selected cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When cases were evaluated for p63 staining, 24 of 25 (96%) squamous cell carcinomas were strongly positive. Six of 20 adenocarcinomas (25%) and 1 (100%) large cell carcinoma (except neuroendocrine carcinoma) were mildly positive. p63 staining was statistically significant in favor of squamous cell carcinoma than other tumors (p<0.001). Forty percent of squamous cell carcinomas had squamous carcinoma in situ, whereas adenocarcinomas had none. There was a significant statistical difference between squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma (p=0.002). p63 was strongly positive in all of 12 squamous carcinoma in situ cases. In 6 cases where mRNA analysis was performed by RT-PCR method, DNp63 was strongly positive in 3 squamous cell carcinomas, mildly positive in 1 adenocarcinoma, and negative in 1 carcinoid tumor. TAp63 was strongly positive in non-tumoral lung tissue but negative in all tumors, except 1 squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma had strong and widespread staining for immunohistochemical expression of p63. Therefore, p63 can be a useful marker in differentiating squamous cell carcinoma from poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma from large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma.
authors: Department of Pathology, Pamukkale University, School of Medicine, Denizli, Turkey.
authors: Ferda
authors: F
authors: Bir
authors: Department of Pathology, Ankara University, School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Aysegul
authors: A
authors: Aksoy Altınboga
authors: Department of Medical Biology, Pamukkale University, Medical School, Denizli, Turkey.
authors: Naciye Lale
authors: NL
authors: Satiroglu Tufan
authors: Department of Chest Surgery, Dr. Suat Seren Chest Disease and Surgery Trainig Hospital, İzmir, Turkey.
authors: Seyda
authors: S
authors: Kaya
authors: Department of Chest Diseases, Pamukkale University, School of Medicine, Denizli, Turkey.
authors: Sevin
authors: S
authors: Baser
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Pamukkale University, School of Medicine, Denizli, Turkey.
authors: Arzu
authors: A
authors: Yaren
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C081876:CKAP4 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger