ABSTRACT PURPOSE: Analyze the relationship between PCNA and p53 protein imunoexpression, the histological grading of malignancy and the clinical features of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODS: An immunohistochemical analysis was carried out using the streptavidin-biotin method in 14 cases of OSCC. All cases were classified according to an adaptation of the histological malignancy grading system proposed by Anneroth, Batsakis, Luna. Thus, 7 cases were classified as low score (Group I) and 7 cases as high score (Group II) of malignancy. The clinical data from the patients was obtained through their medical files and the immunohistochemical study was performed using monoclonal antibodies anti-PCNA and anti-p53. Finally, it was obtaineid the labeling index (LI) in each case. RESULTS: The LI for PCNA at Group I was 56.0% and at Group II 83.8%. The expression of p53 was similar at the studied groups with a LI of 41.2% and 41.3% at Group I and II, respectively. There was statistical correlation in PCNA values and score of malignancy. No significant correlation in the overall clinical data was verified. CONCLUSION: The high number of PCNA positive cells correlated with high score of malignancy indicates evident proliferative activity in these lesions. However, this correlation was not reached in regard to p53 expression.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma; PCNA; Genes, p53; Immunohistochemistry; Mouth neoplasms
