Altered patterns of retinoblastoma gene product expression in benign, premalignant and malignant epithelium of the larynx: An immunohistochemical study including correlation with p53, bcl-2 and proliferating indices
E. Ioachim et al., Altered patterns of retinoblastoma gene product expression in benign, premalignant and malignant epithelium of the larynx: An immunohistochemical study including correlation with p53, bcl-2 and proliferating indices, ANTICANC R, 19(1A), 1999, pp. 541-545
In order to study the altered Rb, bcl-2 and p53 proteins expression during
laryngeal carcinogenesis and to elucidate the role of these molecules in th
e development and progression of the lesions, we have examined the immunohi
stochemical expression of these mn,markers in a series of 41 squamous cell
carcinomas, 14 cases of in situ carcinoma, 47 with epithelial dysplasia, 11
papillomas and 20 cases of keratosis. Rb protein was expressed in 69.7% (>
5% positive neoplastic cells) of squamous cell carcinomas and p53 in 40% (>
5% positive cells). There was a strong statistically significant difference
for Rb, Ki-67 and PCNA immunostaining between malignant, premalignant and
benign lesions, increasing from keratosis, papillomas, dysplasia to carcino
ma in situ or infiltrating squamous Ca.. Rb protein expression was also str
ongly correlated with p53, Ki-67 and PCNA, while p53 protein was strongly c
on elated with Ki-67 (p=0023) and PCNA (p=0.0031) indices, in all lesions.
In conclusion Rb and p53 altered proteins expression seems to play nit acti
ve role in laryngeal carcinogenesis, probably from the early phase, and is
correlated with proliferative activity. Also, Rb protein expression is corr
elated with the progression of the lesion and could be considered as indica
tion of poor prognosis in laryngeal lesions.