Cyclin D1 expression is predictive of occult metastases in head and neck cancer patients with clinically negative cervical lymph nodes

Background. The aim of this study was to investigate the Value of p53 and c yclin Df gene expression in predicting the risk of occult lymph node metast ases in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods. The expression of cyclin D1 and p53 was evaluated by means of immu nohistochemical analysis in 32 HNSCC patients with clinically and radiologi cally negative lymph nodes in whom metastatic involvement was subsequently demonstrated at histologic examination (pN+). A group of 64 head and neck c ancer patients with histologically negative laterocervical lymph nodes (pN0 ) was used as a control. Results. Cyclin D1 and p53 expression were observed respectively in 42 (43. 7%) and 48 cases (50%). Cyclin D1 expression significantly correlated with tumor extension and advanced clinical stage (p = .002 and p = .001, respect ively). At univariate regression analysis, cyclin D1 expression significant ly correlated with the presence of occult lymph node metastases (p = .0007) , and it remained an independent predictor at multivariate regression analy sis (p = .0059). Conclusions. Our study indicates that the expression of cyclin D1 correlate s with the presence of occult cervical metastases in head and neck carcinom a patients, thus suggesting that its immunohistochemical evaluation in biop sy samples may be used as an additional tool for identifying patients to be treated with elective neck dissection. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.