Possible prognostic role of p53 expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma of non-smokers, non-alcoholic patients

Abstract

Conclusions. p53 expression seems to negatively influence survival in non-smoking non-alcoholic patients with squamous cell laryngeal carcinoma. p53 might be implicated in the oncogenic pathways leading to neoplastic transformation in this population of patients. Objectives. The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic significance of p53 immunohistochemical expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma arising in non-smoking non-alcoholic patients. Patients and methods. We retrospectively reviewed the data from 782 patients diagnosed with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma in the last 15 years at Mostoles Hospital. From these patients we chose 21 who had never smoked or drunk alcohol and performed immunohistochemical staining for p53 protein in paraffin-embedded archival blocks. Results. We demonstrated immunohistochemical positivity for p53 in the samples from eight patients, most of them with a focal and weak pattern (<25% positivity in six cases). p53 expression did not show any significant prognostic influence on the risk of local or regional recurrence of the tumor, but significantly influenced the risk of death (log-rank test, p=0.03).

• p53
• immunohistochemistry
• prognosis
• non-smokers
• larynx
• squamous cell carcinoma