Nucleolar protein p120 expression in oral carcinoma

Nucleolar protein p120 is a proliferation-associated antigen expressed by c ells in early G1 phase, identified by the monoclonal antibody FB-2. Its exp ression has been evaluated in breast and prostate cancer; and proved to be significantly correlated with other prognostic parameters. In oral patholog y, p120 protein content is able to distinguish between nonneoplastic and ma lignant lesions. In the present study the immunohistochemical expression of p120 protein was evaluated in fifty cases of oral squamous carcinoma and c ompared with histological grading, pTNM staging, DNA ploidy status and foll ow-lip of the patients, in order to establish its prognostic value. p120 me an area was significantly correlated to all these parameters, apart from ly mph node involvement, indicating the strong predictive potential of this ma rker. In conclusion, quantitative immunohistochemical analysis of p120 prot ei;vl represents an easy and reliable method for the assessment of clinical outcome and the definition of risk groups in oral carcinoma.