Volume 15, Number 1, March 2003
| | The Abnormal Expression of p53 Protein is a Predictive Prognostic Marker in Oral Leukoplakia |
|---|
Seiki Mogi,2 Akimune Kikegawa,2 Yasumasa Hirano,1 Eiki Sakai,2 Yusuke Nakajima,1 Mikio Kusama,3 Syoji Enomoto,1 Ken Omura1
1Oral Surgery, Department of Oral Restitution, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
2Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan
3Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi, Japan
Abstract
Objective: The p53 tumour suppresser gene has been studied as a prognostic marker of oral squamous cell carcinoma. This study was conducted to search for a p53 predictive prognostic marker in oral premalignant leukoplakia using p53 immunostaining.
Patients and Methods: Oral leukoplakia with epithelial dysplasia (60 patients) and healthy oral mucosa (15 patients) were immunohistochemically stained for the p53 protein. The healthy oral mucosa were obtained from a separate group of patients.
Results: Fifty percent of the leukoplakia lesions were positive for p53 protein. Among the 60 lesions, 13 developed into squamous cell carcinoma, of which 10 showed p53 positive staining even before malignant transformation.
Conclusion: Overexpression of p53 protein may be a useful diagnostic procedure for oral leukoplakias that have a high probability of developing into oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Key words: Leukoplakia, oral, Immunohistochemistry, Prognosis, Protein p53
Asian J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2003;15:44-50.
 |
|
|
|
