Intermediate Level of p53 Expression isAssociated with Better Prognosisin Advanced Squamous Cell Cervical Carcinoma

Overview

Objectives:
The present study examines expression of p53 protein and its association with clinicalparameters in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.Design: Retrospective clinical and pathological study.Setting: Department of Pathology, Faculty Women’s Hospital Brno, Czech Republic, Departmentof Cellular and Molecular Oncology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czech Repu-blic.Methods: The expression of p53 protein was immunohistochemically explored in 48 clinicallyadvanced squamous cell cervical carcinomas.Results: Prior to radiotherapy treatment, p53 was detected in 41 (87.3%) cases but only 21 (43,5%)cases exceeded 3% of positive nuclei. One case showed a diffuse staining pattern. The patientswith p53 staining in more than 3% of nuclei had more favourable prognosis with better responseto radiotherapy when compared to negative and/or weakly positive cases. The occurrence ofdistant metastases did not differ between these groups.Conclusion: This data support the findings that mutation of p53 is usually not involved in thegenesis of cervical squamous cell malignancy. A subset of cervical cancer may exist with elevatedlevel of p53 protein, which retain the p53 tumour supressor function but exhibit genotoxic stress.These tumours may respond better to radiotherapy.

Key words:
p53 protein, squamous cell carcinoma, uterine cervix, prognosis