RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICALLY DETECTABLE P53 PROTEIN ANDPROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN HEAD AND NECK TUMORS

This study examined the relationship between immunohistochemically det ectable p53 protein and prognostic factors in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Twenty-seven tumor specimens were evalua ted utilizing a panel of three monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed a gainst different epitopes of the p53 protein (PAb 421, PAb 1801, and P Ab 240). The overall incidence of p53 protein detection with a panel o f MAbs was 78%, which was significantly higher than with any one of th e tested antibodies. Comparison of the tumors that were negative for p 53 with tumors that stained positive with one or multiple antibodies, however, revealed no statistically significant differences with respec t to the stage of disease, metastatic node involvement, size of the pr imary tumor, or degree of tumor differentiation. The results of our st udy suggest that levels of p53 protein, although commonly immunohistoc hemically detected in head and neck tumors, do not correlate with know n prognostic factors for SCCHN.